Through the purposeful direction of numerous clubs – and the transfer deals that have come about because of that – the USL Championship has become a launching pad for young talent with major aspirations to begin their professional careers.

From homegrown talent getting the opportunity to become part of their local club’s structure at the Academy and professional level, to players coming from outside academies, college or overseas, the opportunity to compete in First Team soccer and make the next step has been evident, with players like Joshua Wynder, Diego Luna and Mamadou Dieng examples of that progression.

The flexibility of the USL Academy signing structure – allowing players to retain their NCAA eligibility while competing for the First Team – has also remained a key element of that progression. For clubs like Phoenix Rising FC – who top the current list of minutes recorded by U-22 players – it’s allowed talent from its burgeoning academy system to integrate and get opportunities at the First Team level under new Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah.

While there are officially three competitions that talent can now compete in as lineups rotate – the USL Championship, USL Jägermeister Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – we’ve broken down which clubs have given the most – and fewest – minutes to young players this season in league play.

Here’s what we found.

Most Minutes for U-22 Players in 2025 Season (Through Sept. 17)

1. Phoenix Rising FC – 6,117 (25.8% of minutes)
Total Players: 12
Minutes Leader: Collin Smith (1,435)

If you’re surprised by this ranking, you shouldn’t be. Since winning the USL Championship title two years ago, Rising has pivoted toward bringing aboard young talent both from its nascent Academy and from outside sources. That was in evidence when the club signed Pape Mar Boye as a star freshman at Clemson University prior to the 2024 season. It’s continued – and arguably expanded – this season.

Most notable has been the progression of the club’s academy prospects. Braxton Montgomery was a regular through the midway point of the season, logging 1,088 minutes, and since then he’s logged six consecutive starts at Rutgers University. Jamison Ping, meanwhile, was handed the captain’s armband for the first time while Pierce Rizzo is also turning heads as a teenager. It’s part of Rising’s long-term plan to compete and develop talent, emulating clubs that have previously employed the strategy.

2. Hartford Athletic – 5,411 (22.9% of minutes)
Total Players: 6
Minutes Leader: TJ Presthus (1,626)

There’s never been any question about Head Coach Brendan Burke’s willingness to play young talent. It was, obviously, a requisite when he was leading the likes of current United States internationals Brenden Aaronson and Mark McKenzie at Bethlehem Steel FC, but at Colorado Springs the likes of 2022 USL Championship Young Player of the Year Michee Ngalina and Isaiah Foster got opportunities to take their games to the next level.

It should be no surprise, then, that the young talent Burke targeted to bring in at Hartford has already paid dividends, both on the field and on Hartford’s balance sheet. Mamadou Dieng’s transfer to Minnesota United was a major move after he set a club record for goals since arriving prior to the 2024 season, but he comes in second among U-22 eligible players to TJ Presthus in the club’s minutes ranking, with the first-year pro coming on strongly as the year has gone on. Adewale Obalola and Junior Moreira are two more to watch moving forward.

3. Las Vegas Lights FC – 4,861 (20.5% of minutes)
Total Players – 6
Minutes Leader: Patrick Leal (1,554)

Since Las Vegas Lights FC’s acquisition by current owner José Bautista and the appointment of Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia, this has been the direction the Lights have wanted to pursue. The side signed Shawn Smart out of Clemson University, acquired young talent Edison Azcona from Inter Miami CF in its first season, and then brought aboard U.S. youth national team player Nighte Pickering last offseason.

There have been a few ups and downs with that approach this season – Smart’s progression has been hit by injury this year – but there’s a real commitment to following the model of finding and progressing young talent. That should pay off for the Lights under new Head Coach Devin Rensing – who helped Fidel Barajas’ progression at his prior stop with the Charleston Battery – as he shapes the club’s on-field future.

4. Birmingham Legion FC – 3,152 (13.3% of minutes)
Total Players: 6
Minutes Leader: Santiago Suárez (1,365)

Birmingham Legion FC has been notable in targeting young talent in recent years. The club signed Matthew Corcoran in 2022 and provide a platform for him to reach the United States Men’s U-17 National Team in 2023 before his offseason transfer to Nashville SC and likely presence at this month’s FIFA U-20 World Cup.

New England Revolution loanee Santiago Suárez is the club’s U-22 minutes leader, but Ramiz Hamouda is second on the list and looking to be on the same pathway as Corcoran. Part of this United States U-17s cycle, the young center back has logged almost 900 minutes so far this season. Keep an eye on whichever young talent Legion targets next to bring in.

5. Loudoun United FC – 3,085 (13% of minutes)
Total Players: 9
Minutes Leader: Abdellatif Aboukoura (1,550)

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of this year’s breakout young stars in Abdellatif Aboukoura is Loudoun United’s minutes leader among U-22 players, but he’s been far from alone in getting regular minutes for the side while accounting for about half of the overall minutes allotted to young players at the club so far this season.

While the club has added more experience since becoming independent two years ago, there remains a desire for Head Coach Ryan Martin to be a place that can serve as a launching pad as it did when players like current AFC Bournemouth defender Matai Akinmboni were making their pro debuts. Players like Arquímides Ordóñez are among the new arrivals this season who’ve made an impact, and we’re expecting that trend to continue as the club moves forward.

6. Orange County SC – 2,947 (13.6% of minutes)
Players – 8
Minutes Leader: Ashton Miles (748)

Of all the clubs in the USL Championship, Orange County SC has been the trailblazer when it comes to young player recruitment and progression. While this year’s group of players isn’t near the league leaders in total minutes, it’s notable that seven of the eight players – excluding 20-year-old minutes leader and homegrown product Ashton Miles – to log minutes this season are still teenagers, all born in 2006 or later.

That group has been led by United States U-17 international Pedro Guimaraes, who has been a core part of the current cycle’s squad this year alongside Birmingham’s Ramiz Hamouda and has also impressed for OCSC across all competitions. Bryce Jamison will head to Colorado Rapids this offseason after his transfer and loan back to Orange County earlier this year, but there will be plenty of candidates to earn minutes next season as the club continues to add.

7. Lexington SC – 2,443
Minutes Leader: Kieran Sargeant (1,989)

8. Sacramento Republic FC – (1,983)
Minutes Leader: Blake Willey (1,303)

9. North Carolina FC – 1,742
Minutes Leader: Finn Sundstrom (1,742)

10. FC Tulsa – 1,725
Minutes Leader: Owen Damm (1,725)

Notable: It speaks volumes to the performances Finn Sundstrom and Owen Damm have been putting in for their respective clubs that they sit second and third in the league for U-22 player minutes after Lexington SC’s Kieran Sargeant. What’s surprising is each player also stands as the only U-22 player to have seen league action this season so far at their respective club.

11. Oakland Roots SC – 1,494
Minutes Leader: Ali Elmasnaouy (772)

12. Tampa Bay Rowdies – 1,395
Minutes Leader: Luis Álvarez (607)

13. Indy Eleven – 1,183
Minutes Leader: Josh O’Brien (965)

14. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – 1,127
Minutes Leader: Adam Beaudry (540)

15. Monterey Bay FC – 1,056
Minutes Leader: Xavi Gnaulati (830)

16. Miami FC – 841
Minutes Leader: Felipe Rodriguez (450)

17. San Antonio FC – 790
Minutes Leader: Landry Walker (242)

Notable: SAFC Head Coach Carlos Llamosa shook things up a little bit in his lineup recently, giving starts to Walker and Leonides Urrutia, both currently 16 years old. The desire to get back to giving young talent from the club academy seems to be present, and Walker – who has been called up to the U.S. Youth National Team program in the past – is one to watch.

18. El Paso Locomotive FC – 567
Minutes Leader: Bryan Romero (403)

19. Detroit City FC – 365
Minutes Leader: Dominic Gasso (363)

20. Rhode Island FC – 342
Minutes Leader: Matthew Corcoran (333)

21. Louisville City FC – 332
Minutes Leader: Carlos Moguel Jr. (191)

22. New Mexico United – 128
Minutes Leader: Carlos Moguel Jr. (105)

Notable: No, you’re not seeing double. After being caught in the depth chart at hometown club Louisville City FC, resulting in a loan earlier this month to New Mexico United, Carlos Moguel Jr. has already become the leader in U-22 minutes for United. That speaks a little to the situations at both clubs, where New Mexico is looking for its next potential breakout star from its Academy since the departure of Alex Waggoner to his collegiate career.

23. Charleston Battery – 16
Minutes Leader: Ezekiel Soto (16)

24. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – 12
Minutes Leader: Pablo Linzoain (12)