Both Philadelphia Union and New York Red Bulls lean heavily on their academies to produce players that know how to play the clubs’ systems when they arrive in MLS. The Red Bulls academy may have had a head start, but 2018 showed that the Union have closed the gap and now have a strong pipeline of talent flowing from the academy, through USL, and into the first team. Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie, Matt Real, Derrick Jones, and Anthony Fontana all made an impact at the MLS level this season, with Brenden Aaronson and Selmir Miscic not far behind. New York, of course, has academy standouts Tyler Adams and Sean Davis in midfield, and Derrick Etienne, Jr.
Three wins, ten goals: Academy turns Talen into fortress against Red Bulls
