dir="ltr">The USL Championship is undoubtedly serving its purpose as one of the best developmental platforms in North America, if not the world. In the last few years, it has morphed into a league where many of the country’s best young talents earn their stripes before moving to the MLS or Europe. You have a combination of USL Championship teams churning out talents through their academies while also giving the best prospects in MLS academies another option to leave their club and play at a high professional level for scouts to see.

We’ve seen Kobi Henry and Jonathan Gomez use this pathway in recent years, and here are 12 of the best young players to look out for in the USL Championship this season.