MLS unveils its 2026 MLS 22 Under 22 rankings led by Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Major League Soccer has announced its 2026 MLS 22 Under 22 rankings, naming Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan as the league’s No. 1 player under the age of 22 and the winner of the annual honor. The list, MLS says, is compiled by an expert panel of select MLS staff, Apple TV talent and club technical staff, and it features the league’s top 22 prospects and standout performers across the season.

MLS says Sullivan leads the 2026 rankings and becomes the youngest-ever 22 Under 22 winner, surpassing Alphonso Davies’ 2018 mark with a younger age. The league also notes that Sullivan is Philadelphia’s second-ever winner, joining Brenden Aaronson, who was named in 2020. MLS frames Sullivan’s 2026 season as a conversion of early promise into “on-field impact,” and ties his rise to contributions for both club and country.

In addition to Sullivan at the top, MLS lists a group of players who occupy specific rank positions in the 2026 cohort. The rankings shown by MLS include Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Peyton Miller and Niko Tsakiris, along with Brooklyn Raines and Frankie Westfield. MLS also includes Ronald Donkor, Taha Habroune, Mateo Silvetti, Bruno Caicedo and Kaick Ferreira in the published set, with Reed Baker-Whiting, Cooper Sanchez, Ervin Torres and Matthew Corcoran also named within the top 22.

MLS says its 2026 rankings further recognize Red Bull New York homegrown forward Julian Hall, an 18-year-old whom the league describes as having set MLS records and scored in his first three USMNT appearances. In the same section of the announcement, MLS says Hall has earned an MLS All-Star selection and produced 11 goals and five assists for Red Bull New York in 2026.

The league also highlights Adri Mehmeti, describing the 17-year-old Red Bull New York homegrown midfielder as having played with the “skill and savvy of a seasoned veteran” during his rookie season. MLS says his 2026 breakout has helped open a pathway to the USMNT, and it credits his rise to early contributions in league play.

Among players listed in the 22 Under 22 rankings, MLS points to Mbekezeli Mbokazi as a breakout center back and frames his 2026 impact as a major defensive breakthrough. The league says the 21-year-old has earned the most fan votes for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game and identifies his national-team momentum with a breakout at a World Cup with South Africa.

MLS also credits an Orlando player named Ellis for emerging as one of the league’s most exciting young attackers in 2026, describing him as a 19-year-old homegrown forward. MLS states Ellis carried his form to the international level by scoring “just four minutes” into his USMNT debut against Peru, which the league calls the fastest debutant goalscorer in the program’s modern era. MLS associates Ellis with academies including Orlando City, Inter Miami CF and Weston FC.

For New England Revolution, MLS highlights Peyton Miller as appearing on the 22 Under 22 list for a third straight time. The league describes the 18-year-old left-sided player as having expanded his offensive output under first-year Revs coach Marko Mitrović, and it says Miller received his first senior USMNT call-up from Mauricio Pochettino last month.

MLS also notes how Philadelphia’s post-World Cup turnaround has included Pierre taking on a larger role on the field. The league describes Pierre as a 6-foot-7 center back who established himself as a top MLS defender and added an eye for goal. MLS further says USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino took notice and handed Pierre his first senior caps during the September/October international window, tying the player’s development to national-team opportunity.

On the West Coast, MLS says San Jose Earthquakes midfielder/attacking player Niko Tsakiris has turned increased opportunity into his most productive MLS season yet. The league cites output of 3 goals and 11 assists during his first full season as a starter, and it lists his developmental background as including San Jose Earthquakes and IMG Academy, as well as De Anza Force Soccer Club.

MLS also includes Adrián Duah in the recognition set, saying he has “further blossomed” during his second professional season. The announcement describes Duah as a former No. 1 overall MLS SuperDraft pick and says he has drawn attention from Ghana’s national team.

In the midfield and defensive categories, the league names Brooklyn Raines and Frankie Westfield, with MLS stating that Raines joined the New England Revolution after the club acquired him from Houston Dynamo FC ahead of the 2026 season and that he has earned a senior debut during the September/October international window. For Westfield, MLS says the right back has already become an established veteran, producing a career-best 11 assists in 2026 after helping the Union win the 2025 MLS Supporters’ Shield, and that he also earned a USMNT debut during the same September/October window.

MLS further recognizes Ronald Donkor, saying the 21-year-old has continued to thrive as a field-tilting midfielder during his third full MLS season. The league notes Donkor’s first senior call-up to Ghana’s national team for Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September. For Columbus Crew, MLS highlights Taha Habroune as offering versatility and passing range and says he is even developing a scoring knack against FC Cincinnati.

On the attacking side, MLS notes Mateo Silvetti as a key young attacker tied to Inter Miami’s MLS Cup 2025 run, while describing a shoulder injury that cut short his first full season with the Herons. The league also points to Bruno Caicedo’s move to Vancouver Whitecaps FC from Barcelona SC and describes him as adding dynamism on the wing with speed, skill and flair, along with an eye for goal.

The league’s announcement also touches on other clubs and development paths. MLS says Austin FC’s first-ever homegrown signing joined Sporting Kansas City over the summer in a cash-for-player trade worth up to $7.6 million, identifying the player as a 21-year-old midfielder and citing injury-riddled conditions in 2026 while still describing him as a centerpiece of the club’s rebuild under president of soccer operations and general manager David Lee. For Nashville SC, MLS lists Reed Baker-Whiting after a trade from Seattle Sounders FC ahead of 2026, while calling him a central piece of the back line.

MLS finishes by listing additional players included in the 22 Under 22 set: Cooper Sanchez, Ervin Torres, Matthew Corcoran and Kaick Ferreira. The league describes Sanchez as a fixture in Atlanta’s midfield and Torres as a key piece of Austin’s midfield in his first full professional season. MLS says Corcoran, a 20-year-old US youth international, has recorded career highs in minutes played and assists as Nashville SC chases the Supporters’ Shield, and it describes Kaick as an important midfield presence for FC Dallas.

The 2026 MLS 22 Under 22 rankings underscore a league-wide effort to spotlight young players who are already influencing regular-season results and earning national-team attention, with Sullivan’s top billing positioned as the focal point of MLS’s annual prospect spotlight for the season.