The USL prides itself on a burgeoning ability to develop young players for the transfer market, but few of those prospects have been homegrown.
Diego Luna broke out with the El Paso Locomotive, but he spent years with the San Jose Earthquakes and the Barca Residency Academy beforehand. Bryce Jamison began his journey with Atlanta United, also spent time with the Barca program, and then became a star at Orange County. Pedro Guimaraes (Orange County via LAFC) and Ramiz Hamouda (Birmingham via Sporting Kansas City) are on the same path.
There’s nothing innately wrong with that model, of course. Any chance for a young player to earn senior minutes is valuable within the American developmental pipeline.
Even so, the relationship between MLS academy products and potential USL suitors is changing. MLS Next Pro’s growth incentivizes prospects to remain within the broader MLS ecosystem. Independent Next Pro organizations like the Carolina Core have begun to move prospects overseas. At the top of the pyramid, many MLS clubs are willing to play their youngsters; U-20 players from 14 different teams are on track to earn 1,000 minutes this season.
