Which are the five best players under 22 on the MLS?

As has happened in previous years,  journalist Matthew Doyle makes a report on the 22 best players in MLS under the age of 22. His year's final roster of the 22 best Major League Soccer's youngsters will be released next week on October 21. But this Tuesday he announced the best five. 

According to Doyle, the best youngster of the league is the Uruguayan Brian Rodriguez, a 20-year-old LAFC and Uruguay National team player, who was signed from Peñarol last August for a fee of ten million dollars. The Uruguayan winger has 2 goals and 7 assists in 22 games played for LAFC.

In second place, Doyle listed FC Dallas player Paxton Pomyka, the 20-year-old midfielder. Although Pomyka has shown great potential, he has suffered too many injuries in his short career. He has three goals and five assists in 38 MLS appearances. Third on the list is spotted Mark McKenzie of the Philadelphia Union, the 21-year-old center back who has started 16 times and his coach has described him as one of the best center backs in MLS.

In fourth place stands James Sands of New York City FC. Sands plays as center midfielder and is 20 years; he has started 34 games across the last two seasons. In 5th position we find 19-year-old McKenzie's teammate Brenden Aaronson, with 7 goals and 7 assists for the Union side. Philadelphia's midfielder is close to be transferred to Red Bull Salzburg. He has also been called by USMNT.

The 2019 list was headed by Brian Rodriguez's compatriot and teammate, forward Diego Rossi, both of whom also emerged from Uruguay's Peñarol. In 2018 who topped the list was the Canadian player Alphonso Davies, back then an Orlando City player, currently in Bayern Munich. In 2017 the list was composed by 24 players under 24, and was topped by back-them best player on the league Miguel Almirón, who the was sold to England's Newcastle United in a record fee for the MLS.