The United Soccer League continues to build it's reputation as a highly viable path for young American prospects looking an earlier path to first team minutes, and a more frictionless path to Europe.

USL are offering more player friendly deals that allow them to gain a year or two of experience before moving abroad. Clubs abroad seem to be happy with USL as a development bridge from academy to first team soccer and agents and players are utilizing the path more and more.

There have already been three European exports from USL in the last few months, the most notable being Josh Wynder. Oakland Roots shipped Ethan Kohler to Werder Bremen II and Drew Murray to SC Freiburg II. Both players did not have an impactful season with Oakland Roots, but seemed to have an agreement in place before they signed in USL.

I expect the top two players on this list to be the next young prospects to make the jump and as long as that pipeline continues to bear fruit, more players from MLS academies will give it a chance. I expect anywhere from 5 to 10 MLS prospects from the 2006 class to go to USL between now and the start of the next USL season.

#1 | WING, Fidel Barajas (Charleston Battery)

Birth Year: 2006
Citizenship: USA, Mexico
Minutes: 1184
Goals: 2
Assists: 5
G+A / 90: 0.53
G+: -0.61
Fotmob rating: 6.90

Fidel Barajas has been THE breakout young player in USL this year with seven goal contributions. At just 17 years old, Barajas has started all but one match for Charleston Battery and leads the team with five assists. Barajas is most likey the next big export from USL. He reportedly has interest from MLS, Liga MX, Bundesliga, and Scottish Premiership. I don't expect Barajas to make a decision on his next club until after the 2023 season and the U17 World Cup. If he decides to go to Europe, he would not be able to officially move until he turns 18 in April 2024.

#2 | DM, Matthew Corcoran (Birmingham Legion)

Birth Year: 2006
Citizenship: USA
Minutes: 813
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
G+A / 90: 0.22
G+: 0.43
Fotmob rating: 6.85

Corcoran saw limited minutes last year in his first season in USL, but this year he has earned a bigger role and is playing as well as any young player in the league as evidence by his very impressive G+ rating. This shows that he is doing a lot of the critical things that the team needs to win games. Like Barajas, I expect Corcoran to make a move to Europe, most likely Germany, when he turns 18 in February 2024. This will likely be his last season in USL.

#3 | WING, Jackson Hopkins (Loudoun United)

Birth Year: 2004
Citizenship: USA
Minutes: 712
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
G+A / 90: 0.51
G+: -0.11

Jackson Hopkins likely was not expecting to be in USL this year after having a fairly significant role with D.C. United last season, but here is. D.C. still have the benefit of sending their prospects to a stronger league than MLS Next Pro and they are leveraging that pretty well. Hopkins is starting frequently, getting valuable minutes and showing that he is highly impactful at this level.

#4 | CF, Nighte Pickering (Memphis 901)

Birth Year: 2005
Citizenship: USA
Minutes: 550
Goals: 4
Assists: 2
G+A / 90: 0.98
G+: 0.11
Fotmob rating: 6.66

Nighte Pickering continues to be a very opportunistic with his playing time. Pickering has an impressive rate of almost 1 goal contribution per 90 minutes. This is not a rate at which he is likely to withstand, but he has shown great instincts and execution in the final third. The FC Dallas academy product isn't a highly rated prospect, but his production has been impressive.

#5 | WING, Korede Osundina (Orange County)

Birth Year: 2004
Citizenship: USA, Nigeria
‍Minutes: 421
Goals: 2
G+: -0.02
Fotmob rating: 6.44

I thought Osundina was in store for a breakout season and while he has scored two goals, his performances have been slightly underwhelming. I am starting to get a little worried about Orange County's ability to develop young players. Kobi Henry stalled out a little bit while he was with Orange County and we are now starting to see the same thing with Osundina. His contract ends after this season and it might be time for a move with Major League Soccer as a distinct possibility.

#6 | WING, Bryce Jamison (Orange County)

Birth Year: 2006
Citizenship: USA
‍Minutes: 611
G+: -0.38
Fotmob rating: 6.36

Bryce Jamison is another Barca Residency product that is now playing for Orange County. Surprisingly, Jamison has earned more playing time than older teammate Osundina, but he hasn't been quite as productive. Jamison is still a bit raw and getting acquainted with the level, but there have been some exciting flashes.

#7 | CB, Josh Wynder (Louisville City)

Birth Year: 2005
Citizenship: USA
‍Minutes: 442
G+: -0.73

Wynder was playing well before he joined the United States U20 World Cup squad and then completed his move to Portuguese giants Benfica. Wynder finished his career at Louisville City with 45 appearances and two goals. He leaves USL as one of the best young player success stories in league history after setting a transfer fee record of 1.12M.

#8 | CB, Matai Akinmboni (Loudoun United)

Birth Year: 2006
Citizenship: USA, Nigeria
‍Minutes: 284
G+: 0.26
Fotmob rating: 6.80

Akinmboni started the year with D.C. United and was a starter in the first season match. As D.C. United's backline has gotten healthier, playing time became harder to come by and D.C. did the right thing and loaned Akinmboni out to their USL affiliate, Loudoun. For a 16 year old center-back he has looked very good in the time he has had, similar to the age that Josh Wynder was when he was first starting out with Louisville. Akinmboni is showing that he isn't too far out from being MLS ready. He seemed to have picked up a knock a few games ago and has been out for a bit. If he can have a strong second half of the season he could make a case to get a more prominent role with D.C. United next year.

#9 | CF, Alex Waggoner (New Mexico United)

Birth Year: 2004
Citizenship: USA
Minutes: 364
Goals: 2
G+A / 90: 0.23
G+: -0.46
Fotmob rating: 6.22

Alex Waggoner is a cool story in that he is one of the few players on this list that is a USL academy product, not a MLS academy product that has signed with a USL club. Waggoner has been a spot starting recently for New Mexico United and has bagged two goals.

#10 | RB, Duilio Herrera (Rio Grande Valley Toros)

Birth Year: 2004
Citizenship: USA, Mexico
‍Minutes: 302
G+: -0.09
Fotmob rating: 6.12

Herrera, like Waggoner, is another USL academy product that is starting to breakthrough with the first team.

#11 | GK, Duran Ferree (San Diego Loyal)

Birth Year: 2006
Citizenship: USA
Minutes: 270
G+: -1.29
Fotmob rating: 6.10
Goals Against / 90: 1.67

You might remember Ferree from the Conacaf U17 Championships. He was the roster replacement for acclaimed United States goalkeeping prosect Diego Kochen. Ferree ended up winning the starting job over Adam Beaudry. He had a difficult championship performance against Mexico, but was otherwise very good. Ferree has received three starts for San Diego as the ease him in to first team minutes.

#12 | CB, Jace Clark (Loudoun United)

Birth Year: 2005
Citizenship: USA
‍Minutes: 210
G+: -0.23
Fotmob rating: 5.94

Jace Clark was a pretty well regarded D.C. United academy player before he suffered a serious leg injury last summer. He was a player that might have been on his way to a first team contract and now that he is back from injury, he is trying to show the D.C. United Front Office that he is still worthy of that investment. It's unclear how things will work for Clark, but he does have a full-ride offer from Maryland as a great contingency plan. Clark has been a spot starter recently and has looked okay while he works his way back to full fitness.