Most Valuable U21 defenders by Market Value in Major League Soccer 2026

The most valuable U21 defenders in Major League Soccer in 2026, ranked on Field Insider.

Most valuable goalkeepers in Major League Soccer Most valuable midfielders in Major League Soccer Most valuable attackers in Major League Soccer Best defenders in Major League Soccer Most in-form defenders in Major League Soccer Top-scoring defenders in Major League Soccer

At a glance

M. Dos Santos of New York Red Bulls is the standout for raw talent across U21 defenders in Major League Soccer, with a Field Insider Rating of 49.6, and T. Johnson has been the form player this season, grading 46.6, and Neil Pierre leads the scoring with 4 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: O. Verhoeven has improved his Season rating most, up +24 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, T. Johnson of Vancouver Whitecaps is the most valuable name in this group at 13.5.

San Diego · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

O. Verhoeven+24SsN

San Diego · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by highest valueCustomise →

	Player	Team
1	T. Johnson Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	21	13.5	4760.1%	497.7%
2	M. Duah Centre-back	San Diego	21	11.2	42301.9%	479.5%
3	M. Mbokazi Centre-back	Chicago Fire	21	10.5	2213.7%	4374.7%
4	R. Baker-Whiting Full-back	Nashville SC	21	10.3	21165.8%	448.9%
5	T. Smith Centre-back	New England Revolution	21	9.3	1	55
6	F. Westfield Full-back	Philadelphia Union	20	9.3	2713.3%	485.7%
7	E. Báez Full-back	Atlanta United FC	21	8.1	1676.6%	4818%
8	Cherrion Valerius Full-back	Minnesota United FC	21	7.8	25±0%	66±0%
9	N. Norris Centre-back	FC Dallas	21	7.7	27341%	4613.4%
10	L. De Fougerolles Centre-back	Real Salt Lake	20	7.7	25	44
11	M. Agyemang Centre-back	Charlotte	21	7.6	19	45
12	E. Kohler Centre-back	New England Revolution	20	7.3	25	4624.1%
13	Neil Pierre Centre-back	Philadelphia Union	18	7.2	102450%	4317.3%
14	Leonardo Barroso Centre-back	Chicago Fire	21	7.2	1875.7%	414.3%
15	O. Verhoeven Centre-back	San Diego	20	7.1	26130.7%	456.2%
16	Iago Centre-back	Orlando City SC	21	7	10227.6%	4133.2%
17	Alvaro Augusto Centre-back	FC Dallas	21	6.8	13	41
18	S. Hawkins Centre-back	Seattle Sounders	20	6.8	147100%	408.1%
19	M. Gherasimencov Full-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	21	6.8	13	41
20	J. Gilman Centre-back	Toronto FC	21	6.8	9	40
21	Harbor Miller Full-back	Los Angeles Galaxy	19	6.7	18311.6%	426.3%
22	M. Dos Santos Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	18	6.7	14	48
23	N. Cobb Centre-back	Colorado Rapids	21	6.6	1114.1%	39±0%
24	N. Miller Centre-back	Orlando City SC	21	6.6	1	37
25	M. Dos Santos Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	17	6.5	15	50
26	I. James Centre-back	Sporting Kansas City	18	6.4	966.7%	397.4%
27	P. Ndinga Ossibadjouo Full-back	Philadelphia Union	21	6.4	382.6%	3717.3%
28	O. SÃ¸e Centre-back	San Diego	21	6.4	6	38
29	J. Bazán Centre-back	New York Red Bulls	20	6.4	1212000%	4083.9%
30	M. Ilenič Full-back	New York City FC	21	6.3	195.8%	3615.5%
31	J. Wynder Centre-back	New England Revolution	21	6	1±0%	43±0%
32	L. Stefanovic Centre-back	Toronto FC	20	6	430.2%	374.2%
33	Alvaro Augusto Full-back	FC Dallas	20	6	3	37
34	A. Lajhar Centre-back	FC Cincinnati	21	6	1	36
35	M. Chisholm Centre-back	Toronto FC	21	6	1	36
36	J. Neeley Centre-back	Charlotte	21	5.9	0	35
37	E. Kohler Centre-back	New England Revolution	21	5.9	0	362.2%
38	Diego Borges Centre-back	Sporting Kansas City	21	5.9	3	35
39	I. Boatwright Centre-back	Inter Miami	21	5.9	0	35
40	K. Chandler Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	21	5.8	0100%	355.5%
41	Joshua Torquato Centre-back	FC Dallas	19	5.7	094.7%	381.1%
42	Chris Applewhite Centre-back	Austin	19	5.7	7	39
43	A. Chirila Full-back	FC Cincinnati	17	5.7	6	41
44	Owen Presthus Centre-back	Nashville SC	20	5.7	1	36
45	G. Sequera Full-back	Philadelphia Union	20	5.7	0	36
46	Ezequiel Abadia-Reda Full-back	Inter Miami	20	5.7	1	36
47	D.Rosales Centre-back	Los Angeles FC	20	5.7	0	37
48	M. Chisholm Centre-back	Toronto FC	20	5.7	1	36
49	M. Agyemang Centre-back	Charlotte	20	5.7	0	36
50	S. Suárez Centre-back	New England Revolution	21	5.6	9	33