ED. NOTE: The Generation adidas Cup kicks off on Friday and below you can find where all MLS academies stand as of January 2017.
While MLS continues to bring in talent from abroad (both veterans and youngsters), academies have become more and more important to club development as the game grows here in the United States.
Who's doing the best job of finding and developing that talent?
That's what Top Drawer Soccer's Will Parchman (a frequent contributor to this site) set out to rank. Here are his findings, along with his opinions on the best products out of each team's academy -- and the top prospects coming through the ranks now.
Here's a hint: The No. 1 ranking probably won't be much of a surprise to anyone who follows academy soccer.
Where does your team rate? What do you think of the ratings? Which players are you most hoping to see sign Homegrown deals?
In the meantime, here are the latest updates involving some of the best young academy products in MLS:
- Highlights: Watch DC's Ian Harkes, the best soccer player in the NCAAs
- Orlando City sign 18-year-old creative midfielder and academy product Pierre Da Silva
- Young academy talent at the forefront of LA Galaxy's new approach
- From Under-10 to a pro deal: Whitecaps player's dream comes true
- MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders sign two more Homegrown players
- 13 MLS players called up to US Under-20 camp
- Vancouver's Marco Bustos promises bigger and better year in 2017
