2025 NWSL 15 Under 22 – What if?

The NWSL currently has only six individual end -of -season awards that a player can win: the most precious player, defender of the year, recruit of the year, goalkeeper of the year, midfielder of the year and non -voting gold boot.

There has been an increase in the number of young players who join the League each year, and a change in recent years has led to almost 10% of every minute played by those under 22 until now in regular season in 2025. The MLS has a price for the best young player for players under 22, here is my list on whom would be for the price of the regular season of 2025 if it existed.

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026

Position: midfielder

Minutes played: 1681

Games started / played: 19/21

Manaka signed a two -year contract extension with courage in January. On the field for courage, she scored six goals, helped four others and leads the NWSL in actions creating goals with 11. She also made the best XI for May and June when she was going (and continues to be) on an incredible form.

Remaining contract: 2 years to 2027

Position: Defender

Minutes played: 1458

Games started / played: 16/20

In January, the wave signed Armstrong, 17 years old, to a three -year contract via the U18 mechanism and it has been able to have an impact for the wave since the start of the season. The defender obtained a place in the best XI of the month for May and scored a goal and obtained two assists on the way. It is currently 2nd in the NWSL for a successful take -out percentage (81.8%), 9th in the league, including precision (88.4%) and the sixth of the progressive transport distance.

3. Claire Hutton, 19, Kansas City Current

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026

Position: midfielder

Minutes played: 1479

Games started / played: 18/21

Hutton is in the second year of a three -year U18 contract with Kansas City. After an impressive recruit season, she showed how instrumental she is for the very entered midfielder from the current one. It has a passing accuracy of 78.5%, 27 interceptions, 30 clearances and 37 plated won for the winning side of the NWSL Shield.

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026, with a 2027 club option

Position: Defender

Minutes played: 1701

The games started / played: 19/20

After joining the reign halfway to the regular season of 2024, Bugg really excelled in the bottom line of Seattle this year, and even scored some goals in the process (one was a banger of the box outside the beaten track which won its goal of the week). It is also 8th in the league in authorization with 106, at 40 interceptions and 28 additional blocks. In addition, Bugg has made the best XI for June

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026

Position: midfielder

Minutes played: 1713

Games started / played: 19/21

Moultrie is the second year of a three -year extension which was signed in 2024. This year for thorns, she found the net four times with a decisive pass. In September, she also broke the record previously established by Jaedyn Shaw for the most regular goals of a teenager, when she scored her 14th three days before her 20th anniversary. She also has regular seasonal records for adolescents with the most games played, the matches started, the minutes played, the goal contributions and the assists. Moultrie also leads the league in key passes for the 2025 season.

Remaining contract: 2 years game 2027

Position: forward

Minutes played: 829

Games started / played: 9/17

Adames is in the second year of a four-year contract after joining the wave via the U18 mechanism before the 2024 season, and this season played a super-Sub role for the reign, often taking place in the second period for an energy jerk. She scored six goals this season and is 3rd in the league in goals by 90 (0.65). His contributions to the attack pushed her to gain a place in the best XI for the month of June.

Remaining contract: 4 years to 2029

Position: Defender

Minutes played: 1242

Games started / played: 16/18

In January, signed a two-year contract extension until 2028, then earlier this month signed another four-year extension until 2029, including 2026-29 re-emotional. So far, this season, the defender has scored a goal and has won five assists. Thompson is equal to the first row of the league in assists with five, is 1st in% of the dribblers covered (92.4%) and 2nd in assists / 90 (0.36). She also made the best XI of the month for May.

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026, with a 2027 club option

Position: midfielder

Minutes played: 1615

Games started / played: 19/21

Fuller is currently in the second year of a three -year contract with the club based in Los Angeles, and throughout the players’ movement was this constant presence in the Angel City midfielder. During the 2025 season, she scored three goals and helped three others, and was 9th in the league for goals / fire on the target with 0.60.

9. Riley Jackson, 19, courage of North Caroline

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026

Position: midfielder

Minutes played: 1520

The games started / played: 18/20

The Jackson 2026 club option has been exercised to keep it courage for one more year, but this season, it has become a hinge in the midfield of courage – appeared to 2024 where it was 2nd in a replacement of 15 years – and has the additional responsibility to take corner kicks. She has scored two goals so far (includes a penalty kick) and is currently third in the league in the success of the games.

10. Ally Sendnor, 21, Kansas City Current

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026

Position: forward

Minutes played: 1544

Games started / played: 17/20

Sendnor began the year in UTAH, but on August 1, exchanged in Kansas City compared to $ 300,000 in 2025 intra-bite transfer funds, $ 200,000 in 2026 intra-bite transfer funds, $ 100,000 in 2027 intra-bite transfer funds and additional $ 100,000 in conditional intra-free transfer funds. The Royals struggled in half before the season, but Sendnor scored one and helped another before trade. Since he joined a very talented current side, she has found his place, but we have known her potential because she has marked four with the USWNT this year.

Remaining contract: 2 years to 2027

Position: forward

Minutes played: 1473

Games started / played: 17/21

In January, Dahlien signed a three -year contract with Seattle, and so far this season has scored three goals and won three assists. The attacker is 3rd in the league in the penalty zone (38), 7th of the progressive passes (119) and 7th in shots on Target (19)

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026

Position: midfielder

Minutes played: 1167

Games started / played: 13/21

ASCIO is in the second year of a three -year contract and has experienced a spectacular increase in its playing time from one year to the next. During the season, Ascio scored four goals and helped an additional cost. In addition to boast of a passing precision of 82.1%, the midfielder is also 2nd in the league in goals / shooting with 0.29, 3rd in target percentage shooting with 57.1% and 6th in goals-xg with 1.8

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026

Position: forward

Minutes played: 1111

Games started / played: 11/21

In January, San Diego was exchanged in Northern Carolina for $ 300,000 in allocation money, $ 150,000 in 2025 intra-bite transfer funds and 2025/2026 international slots. During her time with courage, she scored three goals and helped in one. On September 11, Shaw was exchanged at the Gotham FC in North Carolina for $ 1.25 million in intra-Ligue transfer funds over several years. In his first game for Gotham, Shaw scored a goal against the wave.

Remaining contract: 1 year to 2026, with a 2027 player option

Position: forward

Minutes played: 750

Games started / played: 7/20

Tordin signed a two -year contract with the thorns in January of this year, and due to the unfortunately impressive list of the injuries (and maternity leave) of Portland had the opportunity to really play a central role in the attack. Tordin scored four goals this season and is 2nd from the Ligue in shots / 90 (4.20), 4th in XG / 90 (0.57) and 9th in goals / 90 (0.48)

15. Shinomi Koyama, 20, courage from Caroline du Nord

Remaining contract: 2 years to 2027

Position: midfielder

Minutes played: 1001

Games started / played: 11/20

Shinomi was acquired by North Carolina in January at the Swedish club Djurgårdens if and signed a three -year contract. She scored one goal and helped another and the defensive midfielder had an accuracy of 80.5%passes.

Caiya Hanks, 21, Portland Thorns

Remaining contract: 3 years until 2028 with a 2029 club option

Position: forward

Minutes played: 639

Games started / played: 7/11

Signed a four -year contract with thorns only two weeks before the regular season kickoff. Scored two goals and obtained a decisive pass during this period with 10 chances created before injuring themselves at LCA on June 15 and spending the rest of the season on the list of end -of -season injuries.

Savy King, 20, Angel City FC

Remaining contract: 3 years to 2028

Position: Defender

Minutes played: 709

Games started / played: 8/8

Was exchanged in Angel City from Bay FC, where she spent her recruit season, in exchange for $ 200,000 in 2025 intra-bite transfer funds and $ 100,000 in 2026 intra-bite transfer funds in early February. Signed a two -year contract extension until 2028 in early March. Started the eight games of the regular season of Angel City and really found his groove there before an incident in May led him to be on medical leave for the rest of the season.