Top 100 American Goalkeepers (USMNT Depth Chart)

Cover photo Maor Alexelsi.

After nearly a decade of updates, the top 100 returns once again with this winter’s lineup. Each goalkeeper is slotted by a number of factors: historical individual results, current individual level of play, and projected on-field performance. The top 100 attempts to remove exterior noise and team statistics to isolate the goalkeeper’s true ability.

Each block of ten names features a player to watch, giving a small bio about the goalkeeper and what to look out for in the coming months. To see how the top 100 rankings have evolved since July 2013, click here.

This article is currently going under a re-work to represent the accurate standings heading into 2024.

1. Matt Turner, 29 - Nottingham Forest (England.1)
2. Ethan Horvath, 28 - Nottingham Forest (England.1)
3. Joe Willis, 35 - Nashville SC
4. Brad Stuver, 32 - Austin FC
5. Zack Steffen, 28 - Colorado Rapids
6. Josh Cohen, 31 - Atlanta United
7. Stefan Cleveland, 29 - Austin FC
8. Drake Callender, 26 - Inter Miami
9. JT Marcinkowski, 26 - San Jose Earthquakes
10. Earl Edwards, 32 - New England Revolution

One to Watch: Zack Steffen. A return to MLS could reset the once-promising goalkeeper… or be telling of what direction he’s headed. The game is the ultimate decider but he still has an easy six years left in his game, if not closer to ten. If he has a good year in MLS, does he continue to stay at the level or push himself for a more challenging league abroad?

11. Tyler Miller, 30 - DC United
12. Luis Barraza, 27 - New York City FC
13. Sean Lewis, 31 - One Knoxville SC
14. William Yarbrough, 34 - San Jose Earthquakes
15. Carlos dos Santos, 23 - Inter Miami
16. Roman Celentano, 23 - FC Cincinnati
17. Pablo Sisniega, 28 - San Antonio FC
18. Alec Kann, 33 - FC Cincinnati
19. Zac MacMath, 32 - Real Salt Lake
20. John McCarthy, 31 - Free Agent

One to Watch: Pablo Sisniega. Going from MLS to USL is typically a death sentence so Sisniega has his work cut out for him. Sisniega leaves Charlotte FC, where the highs were high and the lows were low. If Sisniega can showcase that he’s above the level of USL, perhaps he gets another chance at MLS. However if he can’t, a return to Spain’s lower divisions may be the next move.

21. Tim Melia, 37 - Sporting Kansas City
22. Chris Brady, 19 - Chicago Fire
23. Steve Clark, 37 - Houston Dynamo
24. Stefan Frei, 37 - Seattle Sounders
25. Sean Johnson, 34 - Toronto FC
26. Logan Ketterer, 30 - CF Montreal
27. Michael Nelson, 28 - Free Agent
28. Matt Freese, 25 - New York City FC
29. Jimmy Maurer, 35 - FC Dallas
30. Alex Bono, 29 - DC United

One to Watch: Chris Brady. How much longer does he stay in MLS? He’s closing in on becoming the best goalkeeper in the league but Slonina playing for a club that’s soon-to-be relegated doesn’t sound that appealing. With Turner and Steffen’s struggles overseas as well, Brady must be careful not to chase for prestige without proper development.

31. Ethan Wady, 22 - Millwall FC (England.2)
32. Cody Mizell, 32 - New York City FC
33. Andrew Tarbell, 30 - Houston Dynamo
34. Kyle Morton, 29 - Free Agent
35. Brad Guzan, 39 - Atlanta United
36. Mason Stajduhar, 26 - Orlando City SC
37. Mike Lansing, 29 - Kristiansund (Norway.1)
38. Jesse Gonzalez, 28 - Free Agent
39. Evan Louro, 28 - FC Cincinnati
40. Danny Vitiello, 27 - Sacramento Republic

One to Watch: Jesse Gonzalez. It seems like ages ago Gonzalez earned his lone cap for the USMNT but in June 2020 Gonzalez was suspended by MLS for alleged domestic abuse allegations. Three years later, Gonzalez resurfaced in Guatemala with Antigua GFC. A little rusty, Gonzalez still showcased why he was in the national team picture in the first place. A lot of questions circle around Gonzalez’s future and ability to re-enter the league.

41. David Bingham, 34 - Free Agent
42. Jonathan Klinsmann, 26 - Free Agent
43. John Berner, 32 - Atlanta United 2
44. Nathan Steinwascher, 30 - Detroit City
45. Tomas Gomez, 30 - Real Salt Lake
46. Adam Grinwis, 31 - Charleston Battery
47. Spencer Richey, 31 - Chicago Fire
48. Gabriel Slonina, 19 - Chelsea FC (England.1) #
49. Brian Schwake, 22 - Castellón (Spain.3)
50. Paul Blanchette, 29 - Oakland Roots

# - on loan with Eupen (Belgium.1)

One to Watch: Roman Celentano. Although there are many teen-aged goalkeepers to have plenty of excitement about, Celentano is one of the few goalkeepers in their early 20’s who is actually getting good playing time. Celentano still has room to grow but the question on most fans’ minds will be centered around his duration in MLS. Cincy’s starter currently has traction to theoretically make the jump abroad in a year or two but his old-school approach of a “less is more” mindset may be better served by staying stateside.

51. John Pulskamp, 22 - Sporting Kansas City
52. Eric De La Cerda, 22 - Free Agent
53. Antonio Carrera, 19 - FC Dallas
54. Patrick Schulte, 22 - Columbus Crew
55. Kendall McIntosh, 30 - Free Agent
56. Danny Rogers, 29 - St. Patrick's Athletic (Ireland.1)
57. Rashid Nuhu, 28 - Union Omaha
58. Andrew Thomas, 25 - Seattle Sounders
59. Ryan Meara, 33 - New York Red Bulls
60. Bill Hamid, 33 - Free Agent

One to Watch: Patrick Schulte. Schulte’s year started slow with some moments the young goalkeeper would surely want back but it didn’t matter in the end as the Columbus goalkeeper capped off the year by winning the MLS Cup. It’s an immense honor for a young player but when you compare to previous goalkeepers who have won the cup, it’s not a guarantee for higher success. Schulte has good momentum now but can he stay hot in 2024 to keep traction or will he regress back to the median?

61. George Marks, 24 - Charlotte FC
62. AJ Marcucci, 24 - New York Red Bulls
63. Jacob Jackson, 23 - New England Revolution
64. Evan Bush, 37 - Columbus Crew
65. Brooks Thompson, 21 - Hartford Athletic
66. Benny Diaz, 25 - Club Tijuana (Mexico.1) #
67. Joe Bendik, 34 - Free Agent
68. Chituru Odunze, 21 - Charlotte FC
69. Jordan Farr, 29 - San Antonio FC
70. Hunter Sulte, 21 - Portland Timbers

# - on loan with FC Juárez (Mexico.1)

One to Watch: Brooks Thompson. A once-heralded goalkeeper, Thompson now joins his fourth team in four years (including a loan to North Carolina). At 21, he’s still young enough to power through the tumultuous path and, admittedly, he looked good with North Carolina last year. In 17 matches, Thompson was only on the losing end three times, including winning the 2023 League One final in a penalty shootout. If Thompson can keep the traction going, he could reach the high expectations that were originally placed on him.

71. Vicente Reyes, 20 - Norwich U21 (England.1)
72. Jeff Gal, 30 - Chicago Fire
73. Clint Irwin, 34 - Minnesota United FC
74. Peter Swinkels, 26 - Free Agent
75. Rocco Rios Novo, 21 - Club Atlético Lanús II (Argentina.1)
76. Matt Bersano, 31 - Austin FC
77. Alex Borto, 20 - Fulham U21s (England.1)
78. Abraham Rodriguez, 21 - Free Agent
79. Eric Lopez, 24 - Orange County SC
80. Jared Mazzola, 25 - Sacramento Republic

One to Watch: Peter Swinkels. For a goalkeeper who went 0-5 in his professional starts, he oddly enough still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Swinkels has a bit of “squireliness” (patent pending) to his game who could see success if he and his defense were completely in sync. But for backlines who aren’t on the same page with their goalkeepers, it tends to be a quick opening of floodgates. If Swinkels can get some consistency and trust, he could carve out a decent career in the lower levels.

81. Phil Breno, 28 - Tampa Bay Rowdies
82. Benjamin Machini, 27 - Free Agent
83. Taylor Bailey, 26 - Oakland Roots
84. Will Pulisic, 25 - Free Agent
85. Andrew Pannenberg, 25 - Carolina Core
86. TJ Bush, 26 - Chattanooga Red Wolves
87. Quentin Westberg, 37 - Atlanta United
88. Austin Causey, 22 - Lexington SC
89. Will Palmquist, 26 - Richmond Kickers
90. Isaac Walker, 25 - Crown Legacy FC

One to Watch: Austin Causey. Son of former MLS goalkeeper Jeff Causey, may have had to wait a number of years to see Austin finally get his chance with a professional outlet. Now with Lexington SC, Causey has started five of their club’s first six matches and looks to be adding to that number throughout the season. Although some young goalkeepers look more like athletes than goalkeepers when they’re first starting out, Causey is one of the few prospects that actually plays like a goalkeeper first and foremost. He’s a little undersized for what scouts and coaches are looking for, however, if he can display a level of consistency that says he’s more than just a legacy appointment, don’t be surprised if an MLS team rewards him for his patience and determination.

91. Drew Romig, 25 - Memphis 901
92. Alec Smir, 24 - Minnesota 2
93. Joe Rice, 27 - Colorado Springs Switchbacks
94. Luis Zamudio, 25 - DC United
95. Carlos Saldaña, 27 - Sacramento Republic
96. Justin Garces, 23 - Free Agent
97. Damian Las, 21 - Austin FC
98. Carlos Merancio, 25 - Spokane
99. Trevor Spangenberg, 32 - Birmingham Legion
100. Daniel Faundez, 30 - Louisville City FC

One to Watch: Justin Garces. Garces was featured with Atlanta United’s Next Pro squad this past year and still wakes up at night in sweats from re-living the season. Although there are some that will criticize Garces’ stat line (27 goals allowed in 9 matches), he had the unfortunate task of trying to steer the ship of one of the worst teams in the third division. Garces did have an option to return to the MLS side but Atlanta declined it so now Garces gets to test the waters elsewhere. Does an MLS side look to try to get a return on the UCLA alum or will he try to lead a lower division side to hardware?

Top 100 American Goalkeepers

Cover photo belongs to Tom Flathers/Getty Images. To see how the top 100 rankings have evolved since July 2013, click here.

1. Zack Steffen, 26 - Manchester City
2. Ethan Horvath, 26 - Nottingham Forest (England.2)
3. Matt Turner, 27 - New England Revolution
4. Brad Stuver, 30 - Austin FC
5. Sean Johnson, 32 - New York City FC
6. Josh Cohen, 29 - Maccabi Haifa (Israel.1)
7. Brad Guzan, 37 - Atlanta United
8. Tyler Miller, 28 - Minnesota United FC
9. Jimmy Maurer, 33 - FC Dallas
10. Tim Melia, 35 - Sporting Kansas City

One to watch: Ethan Horvath. Horvath joined Nottingham Forest on a free transfer this summer after seeing barely any minutes after Simon Miglonet joined. In mid-August, Horvath did impressively well in a 4-0 EFL Cup loss to Wolves, making a number of top saves to keep the scoreline from nearing double digits (highlights). Unfortunately, all progress feels undone when he gifted a goal away in a 2-0 league match against Middlesbrough, losing possession on a simple build-out in his own box. Horvath’s career has been stop-and-go for much of the past four years so in some sense this is nothing new. On the other hand, at 26 years old, there really isn’t much time left to “develop”. While the competition is great, ultimately Horvath needs traction to reach his ceiling. Horvath doesn’t need every minute from a club but he will need more than two games a year.

11. Steve Clark, 35 - Portland Timbers
12. Bill Hamid, 30 - DC United
13. William Yarbrough, 32 - Colorado Rapids
14. Stefan Cleveland, 27 - Seattle Sounders
15. Sean Lewis, 29 - FC Tulsa
16. Andrew Tarbell, 28 - Austin FC
17. Logan Ketterer, 27 - El Paso Locomotive
18. Joe Willis, 33 - Nashville SC
19. Kyle Morton, 27 - Houston Dynamo
20. Stefan Frei, 35 - Seattle Sounders

One to watch: Stefan Cleveland. As the Stefan Frei-era in Seattle enters its final hours, Cleveland has stepped up as an unlikely replacement. Similar to how Seattle obtained Frei from Toronto, the Sounders picked up Cleveland for essentially pennies (trading their first-round draft pick for Chicago’s second round). As of October 6th, Cleveland has 15 starts this season with an eight-game unbeaten streak to kick off his campaign. Cleveland’s style can be a bit chaotic but his quick feet and “nose for the ball” have produced a number of head-scratching saves for opposing strikers. It’s hard to say how far Cleveland can take his approach in the league but so far he’s made a strong case for starting for the Sounders in 2022.

21. Michael Nelson, 26 - Houston Dynamo
22. Pablo Sisniega, 26 - Los Angeles FC
23. David Bingham, 32 - Los Angeles Galaxy
24. Zac MacMath, 30 - Real Salt Lake
25. Jeff Attinella, 33 - Portland Timbers
26. Mike Lansing, 27 - Aalesunds FK (Norway.2)
27. John McCarthy, 29 - Inter Miami
28. Jon Kempin, 28 - DC United
29. Bobby Shuttleworth, 34 - Chicago Fire
30. Kendall McIntosh, 27 - Sporting Kansas City

Ones to watch: Michael Nelson. Similar to Austin FC’s Brad Stuver, Nelson entered 2021 without finishing a 90-minute league match since 2019. With 25-year-old Croatian goalkeeper Marko Maric on the depth chart for the Orange, Nelson’s road to seeing minutes has been tricky. In 2019 USL action, Nelson displayed an effortless combination of mobility and explosiveness and fortunately that didn’t evaporate when his opportunity arrived in 2021. Nelson notched eight straight starts this fall and helped end Houston’s 16 game winless streak. Nelson seems to have the tools to be more than an MLS backup but if he can’t get the minutes to lead him there then he’ll end up as yet another American caught in the MLS goalkeeper logjam of "what could have been”.

31. Evan Louro, 25 - Tampa Bay Rowdies
32. Alex Bono, 27 - Toronto FC
33. Cody Mizell, 30 - New York City FC
34. Bobby Edwards, 26 - Indy Eleven
35. Joe Bendik, 32 - Philadelphia Union
36. Zac Lubin, 32 - Phoenix Rising
37. Alec Kann, 31 - Atlanta United
38. Quentin Westberg, 35 - Toronto FC
39. Ryan Meara, 30 - New York Red Bulls
40. Spencer Richey, 29 - Seattle Sounders

One to Watch: Bobby Edwards. Edwards’ exit from Cincinnati wasn’t a pretty one. While Edwards only conceded three goals in two games, it was the dropped cross against DC United that many criticized and ended up being the last time Edwards started for Cincy. [Read Edwards’ own words on how he overcame the setback here.] Edwards moved west to Indy Eleven and replaced former Indy goalkeeper Evan Newton as the club’s starter. At 25, Edwards still has plenty of time ahead of him but 2021 needs to be a year where Edwards shows doubters that not only has he put the error behind him, but that he deserves another shot as an MLS goalkeeper. Being 6’7” has its obvious advantages but correctly executing on nuanced and difficult situations is its own challenge for any goalkeeper.

41. Evan Bush, 35 - Columbus Crew
42. Danny Vitiello, 25 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds
43. Eric Dick, 27 - Columbus Crew
44. Bryan Meredith, 32 - Nashville SC
45. Alexandros Tabakis, 28 - New Mexico United
46. Clint Irwin, 32 - Colorado Rapids
47. Kyle Zobeck, 31 - FC Dallas
48. Earl Edwards, 29 - New England Revolution
49. Adam Grinwis, 29 - Orlando City SC
50. Tomas Gomez, 28 - Sacramento Republic

One to Watch: Eric Dick. Butler alum Eric Dick received strong backing straight out of college, seeing 22 starts with SKC’s USL side from 2018-19. However, minutes have been difficult to come by since then, only earning six starts in the past two seasons. Dick has an odd kit to work with: game-changing saves look easy for him but movement in the box can look clunky at times. Depending on who you ask, Dick definitively does or doesn’t pass the eye test for most viewers but it’s hard to get a fair assessment on a goalkeeper whose playing time has been so erratic over the past four years. If Dick can get more consistency and not just bounce from place to place, we should get a better idea of his ceiling. However, if Dick can’t make a strong case for himself to deserve the added resources, reaching his ceiling won’t be a possibility at all.

51. JT Marcinkowski, 24 - San Jose Earthquakes
52. Joe Kuzminsky, 27 - Charleston Battery
53. Brandon Austin, 22 - Tottenham U23s (England.1)
54. Danny Rogers, 27 - Oldham Athletic (England.3)
55. Evan Newton, 33 - Vancouver Whitecaps
56. Jonathan Klinsmann, 24 - Los Angeles Galaxy
57. Matt Lampson, 32 - Hartford Athletic
58. Andrew Putna, 27 - Real Salt Lake
59. Brandon Miller, 31 - Charlotte Independence
60. Matt Bersano, 29 - San Jose Earthquakes

One to Watch: Brandon Austin. Although there are questions about his eligibility to represent the US, it’s safe to say that Austin’s loan to Orlando was a positive one. The lanky youngster was an immediate boost for Orlando City’s goalkeeping core with his polished foundation and ability to pull a save out of the corner of the goal through precise timing and fluid reactions. Austin’s ceiling is hard to pinpoint at this time with sparse playing time in the last 24 months but loans like this might help him become an intriguing talent for the English club down the line.

61. Tim Murray, 34 - FC Honka (Finland.1)
62. Cody Cropper, 28 - MLS Pool
63. Matt Van Oekel, 35 - Birmingham Legion
64. Justin vom Steeg, 24 - Los Angeles Galaxy
65. Chris Seitz, 34 - DC United
66. Jeff Gal, 28 - Degerfors (Sweden.1)
67. Matt Cardone, 28 - San Antonio FC
68. Ben Lundgaard, 26 - Atlanta United
69. Richard Sanchez, 27 - North Texas SC
70. Jeff Caldwell, 25 - Hartford Athletic

One to Watch: Jeff Gal. Gal has quietly been chipping away at a career in Sweden. Starting in the lower leagues in Sweden, Gal has climbed to the first division with Degerfors after joining the club two summers ago. 2021 has seen him once again battle for the starting position with Swedish goalkeeper Ismael Diawara and English youth international Alfie Whiteman. Gal tends to shoot from the hip and relies heavily on instinct, which can provide some game-saving moments or some soft goals, depending on the day. If Gal can display consistency his club can build confidence on, look for him to nail down the number one position with either Degerfors or another club in the Allsvenskan moving forward.

71. Joe Rice, 25 - New England Revolution II
72. Adrian Zendejas, 26 - Minnesota United FC
73. Tyler Deric, 33 - Rio Grande Valley FC
74. Kenneth Kronholm, 36 - Chicago Fire
75. Andre Rawls, 31 - Colorado Rapids
76. Trevor Spangenberg, 30 - Birmingham Legion
77. CJ Cochran, 30 - Oklahoma City Energy FC
78. Carlos dos Santos, 21 - Benfica B (Portugal.1)
79. Micah Bledsoe, 27 - Michigan Stars
80. Benjamin Machini, 25 - Sollentuna FK (Sweden.3)

One to Watch: Benjamin Machini. It’s been some time since Machini was first featured on Everybody Soccer back in February of 2016 but the young Swedish-American has been carving out a respectful season in Sweden’s third division. Through September, Machini started 16 matches to help Sollentuna into the top half of the table. Watching Machini from over the years, it’s easy to see how his time in Spain has paid off. He’s confident on the ball, moves effortlessly in the box, and has no issue stepping forward to stop an attack. If Machini can clean up some of the post-to-post timing and find his set position in rhythm within tricky attacks, he could continue climbing the ladder in Sweden.

81. Jake McGuire, 27 - North Carolina FC
82. Kyle Ihn, 26 - Oklahoma City Energy FC
83. Luis Barraza, 24 - New York City FC
84. Thomas Olsen, 26 - FF Jaro (Finland.2)
85. Austin Rogers, 26 - San Diego 1904
86. Dylan Castanheira, 26 - Inter Miami
87. Matt Freese, 23 - Philadelphia Union
88. Rashid Nuhu, 25 - Union Omaha
89. Keegan Meyer, 24 - Loudoun United
90. Akira Fitzgerald, 34 - Richmond Kickers

One to Watch: Matt Freese. As Chicago and Real Salt Lake find ways to distribute minutes to their teenage goalkeepers, Freese has struggled to find ways to get on the field. Despite being a backup for the US U23s, Freese saw 15 starts in 2019, 8 in 2020, and just 237 minutes this year. Philadelphia putting their USL team on hiatus hasn’t helped his cause - nor has him receiving a red card in his first match with the Union this year - but either way, fans are still waiting to see more of the Harvard alum who sits behind Jamaican international Andre Blake.

91. Carlos Saldaña, 25 - Sacramento Republic
92. Benny Diaz, 22 - Club Tijuana (Mexico.1)
93. Ben Beaury, 25 - El Paso Locomotive
94. Ford Parker, 25 - Birmingham Legion
95. Eric Lopez, 22 - Los Angeles Galaxy
96. Elliot Panicco, 24 - Nashville SC
97. Parker Siegfried, 24 - Louisville City FC
98. Andrew Thomas, 23 - Seattle Sounders
99. Kevin Silva, 23 - Toronto FC
100. Jahmali Waite, 22 - University of Connecticut

One to Watch: Carlos Saldaña. Saldaña joined Sacramento midseason after Sacramento has worked to replace injured starter Tomas Gomez. Just within 30 minutes of Saldaña’s debut, the 25-year-old Mexican-American goalkeeper made a phenomenal stretch on a skipping header towards the side-netting to keep a 1-0 scoreline in Sacramento’s favor. Saldaña is in desperate need of minutes and Sacramento has quickly inserted him, giving signs that they’re willing to continue to develop him. Sacramento has done well with scouting goalkeeping talent in the past and this is yet another win for the ambitious USL side.

Top 100 American Goalkeepers - Fall 2020

cover photo belongs to David Silverman

2020 has been a near-impossible year for every sport but that’s not to say there hasn’t been movement in the USMNT goalkeeper depth chart. The top 100 returns since our last update in February but you can check out the biggest movers in the monthly rankings, which date back to July of 2013. Each section of ten goalkeepers has one (or more) goalkeeper(s) highlighted as someone worth keeping an eye on as they’re on the cusp of a potential bump moving into 2021. Finally, the top 100 says congratulations to Calle Brown, Todd Morton, and Will Dieterich on great careers, as all three have moved into retirement. Standout accomplishments for the three include Brown winning the 2014 NCAA Championship with the University of Virginia, Morton leaving the University of Delaware as one of their best goalkeepers ever before enjoying a short tenure in the USL, and Dieterich being a part of the 2018 Icelandic Cup winners with Stjarnan Gardabaer.

# - goalkeeper is on loan

1. Zack Steffen, 25 - Manchester City (England.1)
2. Matt Turner, 26 - New England Revolution
3. Steve Clark, 34 - Portland Timbers
4. Josh Cohen, 28 - Maccabi Haifa (Israel.1)
5. Ethan Horvath, 25 - Club Brugge (Belgium.1)
6. Brad Guzan, 36 - Atlanta United
7. Sean Johnson, 31 - New York City FC
8. Tyler Miller, 27 - Minnesota United FC
9. Bill Hamid, 29 - DC United
10. Stefan Frei, 34 - Seattle Sounders

Ones to Watch: Matt Turner / Josh Cohen / Ethan Horvath. All three are on the verge of making big steps in their career over the next 18 months but for very different reasons. Turner earned his Lithuanian passport in August, making a move to Europe a strong possibility now. Josh Cohen signed a short extension with Maccabi Haifa, hinting at his time in the Israeli Premier League to be coming to an end sooner than later. (Maccabi Haifa won their first Europa League qualification match 3-1 over Zeljeznicar earlier this month.) The once-promising prospect Ethan Horvath hit a lull with Club Brugge but has since been tied to an exit from the club before the end of the summer transfer window. All three have the talent to raise their game to another level and 2021 could show them in significantly different situations, if all the pieces fall in order.

11. David Bingham, 30 - Los Angeles Galaxy
12. Quentin Westberg, 34 - Toronto FC
13. Jimmy Maurer, 31 - FC Dallas
14. Ryan Meara, 29 - New York Red Bulls
15. Sean Lewis, 28 - FC Tulsa
16. Tim Melia, 34 - Sporting Kansas City
17. Joe Willis, 32 - Nashville SC
18. Jeff Attinella, 32 - Portland Timbers
19. Kyle Zobeck, 30 - FC Dallas
20. William Yarbrough, 31 - Colorado Rapids#

Ones to Watch: Ryan Meara / Kyle Zobeck. The dream of a longtime backup finally materializes. Both Meara and Zobeck have risen to their respective MLS teams’ starting spots and, to most people’s surprise, performed like they had been a starter for several years. Zobeck made his first-ever MLS start at 30 years old while Ryan Meara finally regained the starting spot since an injured derailed his 2012 run. Realistically, they’re both fighting uphill at this stage in their career without many years left in their career. Somewhat similar to a cinderella run from an underdog team in a tournament setting, Zobeck and Meara both carry a sense of something magical in their back pocket. Watch it now because there’s no telling when the clock strikes midnight.

21. Zac MacMath, 29 - Real Salt Lake
22. Alex Bono, 26 - Toronto FC
23. Brian Rowe, 31 - Orlando City SC
24. Joe Bendik, 31 - Philadelphia Union
25. Clint Irwin, 31 - Colorado Rapids
26. Brad Stuver, 29 - New York City FC
27. John McCarthy, 28 - Inter Miami
28. Luis Robles, 36 - Inter Miami
29. Evan Bush, 34 - Montreal Impact
30. Logan Ketterer, 26 - El Paso Locomotive

One to Watch: Alex Bono. In February I wrote about how Bono could be traded this season as part of my predictions for each MLS team’s goalkeeping core. He’s still caught in limbo with Toronto, getting one game in the MLS Is Back tournament but otherwise stuck behind Westberg. At some point, Toronto will have to move on from Westberg but it’s unclear when that is. Ideally they transition to Bono at some point but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards for 2020, barring a surprise injury. Bono is at an age where he needs momentum, not patience, and Toronto has some decisions to make about their rising prospect.

31. Brandon Miller, 30 - Charlotte Independence
32. Spencer Richey, 28 - Cincinnati FC
33. Danny Rogers, 26 - Kilmarnock (Scotland.1)
34. Matt Lampson, 31 - Columbus Crew
35. Cody Mizell, 29 - New Mexico United
36. Zac Lubin, 31 - Phoenix Rising
37. Stefan Cleveland, 26 - Seattle Sounders
38. Alec Kann, 30 - Atlanta United
39. Matt Bersano, 28 - San Jose Earthquakes
40. Andrew Tarbell, 26 - Columbus Crew

One to Watch: Danny Rogers. The New York-born Irish-American goalkeeper certainly seems closer to playing for the Irish national team than the US’s but the rise to the Scottish Premiership can’t be ignored. After a successful tenure with Greenock Morton FC, Rogers used his time in Scotland’s second division to earn himself a spot with Scottish premier side Kilmarnock FC. For those unfamiliar, Rogers’ game is built on consistency and security, rarely using theatrics to solve an attempt on goal. He embodies the same strong and consistent spirit that filled most of MLS’s early 2000’s goalkeeping cores. If Rogers can use his new platform to springboard himself to an even higher league, he could just feature in the USMNT goalkeeping pool moving forward.

41. Pablo Sisniega, 25 - Los Angeles FC
42. Evan Newton, 32 - Indy Eleven
43. Jon Kempin, 27 - San Diego Loyal#
44. Kendall McIntosh, 26 - New York Red Bulls
45. Chris Seitz, 33 - DC United
46. Eric Klenofsky, 26 - Tacoma Defiance#
47. Jake Fenlason, 27 - San Diego Loyal
48. Bryan Meredith, 31 - Inter Miami
49. Bryan Byars, 28 - FC Tulsa
50. Tim Howard, 41 - Memphis 901

One to Watch: Eric Klenofsky. Klenofsky’s professional career hasn’t matched the momentum he had when he left Monmouth just a few years ago. Since being drafted to DC United at the start of 2017, he’s only amassed 23 starts with four clubs in four years. Most recently Toronto agreed to loan him out west to the Tacoma Defiance, where he immediately started the next two games for Seattle’s USL affiliate. Klenofsky has long battled injuries that slowed the fanfare but Tacoma offers him a chance to reset, get tested in goal, and prove if he can make a run at an MLS roster spot.

51. Alexandros Tabakis, 27 - North Carolina FC
52. Brian Sylvestre, 27 - Miami FC
53. Kyle Morton, 26 - St. Louis FC
54. Adam Grinwis, 28 - Sacramento Republic
55. Bobby Shuttleworth, 33 - Chicago Fire
56. Andre Rawls, 30 - Colorado Rapids
57. Trevor Spangenberg, 29 - Birmingham Legion
58. Brendan Moore, 28 - Atlanta United
59. Richard Sanchez, 26 - Sporting Kansas City
60. Cody Cropper, 27 - Houston Dynamo

One to Watch: Kyle Morton. Morton has a nice blend of size and speed, playing reminiscent of Sean Lewis and Sean Johnson. Morton was the starter for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds last year (starting 31 games and conceding only 23 goals) before moving to St. Louis FC to help boost a mid-table team into contention. Morton’s game can look a little “ugly” at times as he doesn’t always follow the rulebook but there’s no denying he has a knack at finding a way to get his body behind the ball. At the moment, Morton seems on the cusp of either becoming an MLS backup or an MLS starter. The only way we’ll know for sure is he’s given a chance at the next level.

61. Evan Louro, 24 - Tampa Bay Rowdies
62. CJ Cochran, 29 - Oklahoma City Energy FC
63. Earl Edwards, 28 - DC United
64. Mike Lansing, 26 - AC Horsens (Denmark.1)
65. Bobby Edwards, 25 - Cincinnati FC
66. Joe Kuzminsky, 26 - Charleston Battery
67. Michael Nelson, 25 - Houston Dynamo
68. Alex Mangels, 27 - Chattanooga Red Wolves
69. Tomas Gomez, 27 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds
70. Connor Sparrow, 26 - Chicago Fire

One to Watch: Evan Louro. Louro shares the scrambling style that made Nick Rimando, Tim Melia, Steve Clark, and Maxime Crepeau successful in MLS so it only makes sense that he could do something similar. After a decade or so inside the New York Red Bulls’ system, he’s reset himself with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship. The Rowdies are eyeing some serious hardware to close out 2020 and it’s anyone’s guess as to how this helps Louro’s career going forward. On one hand, he’s undersized and doesn’t “look” the part for many MLS coaches. On the other, his approach has worked in MLS and getting minutes in the USL might be the exact formula to ironing out any shortcomings before he takes a shot at the first division again.

71. Diego Restrepo, 32 - Austin Bold
72. Jeff Gal, 27 - Degerfors (Sweden.2)
73. Tim Murray, 33 - FC Honka (Finland.1)
74. John Berner, 29 - St. Louis FC
75. Charlie Lyon, 28 - MLS Pool
76. Tyler Back, 27 - Spansko (Croatia.3)
77. Andrew Putna, 25 - Real Salt Lake
78. Eric Dick, 25 - Phoenix Rising#
79. Matt Van Oekel, 34 - Birmingham Legion
80. Akira Fitzgerald, 33 - Richmond Kickers

One to Watch: Charlie Lyon. You may recognize the name after Lyon received some publicity on ESPN covering his life as an MLS Pool goalkeeper. However, Lyon is unfortunately in a long line of goalkeepers who didn’t quite get the playing time he deserved. Lyon once displayed an exciting range of motion but it’s been years since we’ve seen him in action and it’s difficult to know where his game currently resides. As of late, he’s been backing up Kyle Zobeck with Dallas after Jesse Gonzalez’s dismissal and Jimmy Maurer’s injury created a void in their depth chart. Although Tim Melia used the pool system to revitalize his career, at this age and lack of first-team minutes, Lyon has a tall order ahead of him to get himself back on the field.

81. CJ dos Santos, 20 - Benfica (Portugal.1)
82. Sam Howard, 27 - Union Omaha
83. Jake McGuire, 26 - Örebro SK (Sweden.1)
84. Thomas Olsen, 25 - Las Vegas Lights FC
85. Ben Lundgaard, 25 - Atlanta United 2
86. Kyle Ihn, 25 - Rio Grande Valley FC#
87. Paul Blanchette, 26 - Rio Grande Valley FC
88. Adrian Zendejas, 25 - Nashville SC
89. Justin vom Steeg, 23 - Los Angeles Galaxy
90. Jeff Caldwell, 24 - New England Revolution

One to Watch: CJ dos Santos. I’ve covered dos Santos multiple times before (read his scouting report here) but the highly competitive environment at Benfica has made it difficult for the young Portuguese-American to earn game time. The summer transfer window could open up some avenues for an opportunity for a loan, whether stateside or somewhere else in Europe. Dos Santos has the ability to take on some more responsibility but finding the right environment is key, as many have learned with Ethan Horvath’s situation.

91. Rafael Diaz, 29 - Sacramento Republic
92. Bryant Gammiero, 26 - Miami FC
93. Dylan Castanheira, 25 - Fort Lauderdale CF
94. Mike Novotny, 24 - Hartford Athletic
95. Luis Barraza, 23 - New York City FC
96. Danny Vitiello, 24 - Pittsburgh Riverhounds
97. Austin Rogers, 25 - Detroit City FC
98. Paul Christensen, 24 - Greenville Triumph
99. Benjamin Machini, 24 - IK Frej (Sweden.3)#
100. Jim Barkei, 24 - Memphis 901

One to Watch: Danny Vitiello. Vitiello has quietly snowballed some potentially serious momentum. After finishing at UAlbany in 2018 with a respectable career (finishing as one of - if not the - best goalkeeper in the school’s history) Vitiello joined the professional ranks without much fanfare, bouncing from Nashville SC and New Mexico United without a start. However 2020 has been a different year for Vitiello who has taken over the starting spot at one of the most dominant teams in USL. (The Riverhounds currently have a +28 goal differential through 13 matches.) Vitiello doesn’t look out of depth despite having only five professional starts and with Vitiello hopping on the hottest commodity in USL, Vitiello could be on the start of something big if things fall his way.

Top 100 American Goalkeepers - Spring 2020

cover photo from the Bundesliga

It’s been over a year since we’ve surveyed the top 100 American goalkeepers. The landscape has shifted with a number of (mostly) old guard retiring over the past 18 months, including Tim Howard, Nick Rimando, Alex Horwath, Andrew Dykstra, Matt Pyzdrowski, Mitch Hildebrandt, Matt Pickens, Scott Angevine, Carl Woszczynski, Dan Lynd, Kris Devaux, and Drew Shepherd. The new absence has left the door open for young goalkeepers, most of whom are taking full advantage of their chance. The top 100 are broken into groups of ten, with one goalkeeper highlighted that’s worth keeping an eye on.

1. Zack Steffen, 24 - Fortuna Düsseldorf (Germany.1)
2. Ethan Horvath, 24 - Club Brugge (Belgium.1)
3. Brad Guzan, 35 - Atlanta United
4. Steve Clark, 33 - Portland Timbers
5. Matt Turner, 25 - New England Revolution
6. Josh Cohen, 27 - Maccabi Haifa (Israel.1)
7. Sean Johnson, 30 - New York City FC
8. David Bingham, 30 - Los Angeles Galaxy
9. Tyler Miller, 26 - Minnesota United
10. Bill Hamid, 29 - DC United

One to Watch: Josh Cohen. While Steffen and Horvath certainly have intriguing aspects to their career currently unfolding, Josh Cohen’s journey to Israel takes the cake. With his 2018 campaign with Sacramento Republic being largely passed upon by MLS teams, Cohen’s dual citizenship helped pave a way to Israel, where he’s taken over the starting spot just a handful of games into the season. Heading into the weekend, Maccabi Haifa sit five points out from a spot in the UEFA Champions League, largely due to Cohen’s nine shutouts in seventeen appearances. It’s odd seeing Europe evaluate American goalkeepers higher than our own domestic league but Cohen’s meteoric rise doesn’t have any signs of slowing down.

11. Tim Melia, 33 - Sporting Kansas City
12. Luis Robles, 35 - Inter Miami
13. Stefan Frei, 33 - Seattle Sounders
14. Evan Bush, 33 - Montreal Impact
15. Jeff Attinella, 31 - Portland Timbers
16. Brian Rowe, 31 - Orlando City SC
17. Sean Lewis, 27 - FC Tulsa
18. John McCarthy, 27 - Inter Miami
19. Clint Irwin, 30 - Colorado Rapids
20. Zac MacMath, 28 - Real Salt Lake

One to Watch: Zac MacMath. While Sean Lewis and John McCarthy had excellent 2019 seasons in the USL Championship, the pressing narrative at the moment is centered squarely on Zac MacMath’s breath of fresh air. With Nick Rimando’s retirement, a door has opened for MacMath to become a full-time starter for the first time since 2014. Youngster David Ochoa has just recently be rewarded with the number one jersey, which only makes things more difficult for MacMath. It’s MacMath’s fourth team in seven years and he needs a strong 2020 to avoid being labeled as a perennial backup.

21. Adam Grinwis, 27 - Sacramento Republic
22. Spencer Richey, 27 - Cincinnati FC
23. Quentin Westberg, 33 - Toronto FC
24. Jimmy Maurer, 31 - FC Dallas
25. Diego Restrepo, 31 - Austin Bold
26. Joe Willis, 31 - Nashville SC
27. William Yarbrough, 30 - Leon (Mexico.1)
28. Joe Bendik, 30 - Philadelphia Union
29. Zac Lubin, 30 - Phoenix Rising
30. Matt Lampson, 30 - Columbus Crew

One to Watch: William Yarbrough. After six and a half years with Leon, Yarbrough is stumbling out of the club with only two league appearances in the past seven months. Yarbrough’s question marks have never been rooted in his talent, as the USMNT alum has acres of highlight tape, but rather his consistency in goal. It’s long felt like one step forward, one step back with him in goal. Yarbrough’s time with Leon seems to be coming to a close as the club was openly shopping him over the winter. If Yarbrough can regain some confidence and get a fresh slate, he could theoretically rejoin the national team in attempt to receive his fourth cap.

31. Cody Mizell, 28 - New Mexico United
32. Bobby Shuttleworth, 32 - Chicago Fire
33. Brandon Miller, 30 - Charlotte Independence
34. Kyle Zobeck, 29 - FC Dallas
35. Pablo Sisniega, 24 - Los Angeles FC
36. Jesse Gonzalez, 24 - FC Dallas
37. Evan Newton, 31 - Indy Eleven
38. Ryan Meara, 29 - New York Red Bulls
39. Brad Stuver, 28 - New York City FC
40. Brian Sylvestre, 27 - Miami FC

One to Watch: Pablo Sisniega. It’s not a stretch to say that Tyler Miller’s exit from LAFC was impacted by Sisniega’s arrival. Unfortunately for the Mexican-American goalkeeper, MLS coaches are known for selective memories when it comes to the number one position. Despite some promising moments, LAFC have brought in Dutch international Kenneth Vermeer for the number one spot. Similar to Cincinnati’s situation last year, there’s a decent chance Sisniega still earns playing time in 2020, but it’ll be an uphill climb. The black and gold clearly see something worthwhile in the young goalkeeper, but Sisniega needs to be careful that he doesn’t disappear for 2020. The best way to prevent it? Make the starting spot as difficult for the head coach as possible.

41. Matt Bersano, 27 - San Jose Earthquakes
42. Logan Ketterer, 26 - El Paso Locomotive
43. Alex Bono, 25 - Toronto FC
44. Eric Klenofsky, 25 - Toronto FC II
45. Chris Seitz, 32 - DC United
46. Jake Fenlason, 26 - St. Louis FC
47. Richard Sanchez, 25 - Sporting Kansas City
48. Bobby Edwards, 24 - Cincinnati FC
49. Brendan Moore, 27 - Atlanta United
50. Jon Kempin, 26 - Columbus Crew

One to Watch: Logan Ketterer. Ketterer has taken a long road to reach this point in his career. After two years of meandering with the Columbus Crew, Ketterer was ready to shine when he arrived in El Paso, where he reached the Western Conference final in his first year as a starter. With the universe and MLS ever-expanding, 2020 could be a rehearsal year for an MLS suitor in 2021. If Ketterer can clean up some of his decision making and movement in the box, he should be a frontrunner for taking a similar track as John McCarthy.

51. Andrew Tarbell, 26 - San Jose Earthquakes
52. Kendall McIntosh, 26 - New York Red Bulls
53. Stefan Cleveland, 25 - Seattle Sounders
54. Tyler Deric, 31 - Unattached
55. Alec Kann, 29 - Atlanta United
56. Matt Van Oekel, 33 - Birmingham Legion
57. CJ Cochran, 28 - Oklahoma City Energy FC
58. Bryan Byars, 28 - FC Tulsa
59. Mike Lansing, 25 - AC Horsens (Denmark.1)
60. Jacob Lissek, 27 - Hartford Athletic

One to Watch: Mike Lansing. While AC Horsens are no strangers to relegation battles (see the 2018-19 Danish Superliga relegation battle), they’re actually facing down a Europa League spot for 2020. After starting the first 14 matches, Lansing has found himself on the bench following a red card suspension from back in October. AC Horsens have picked up some valuable points since Lansing’s relegation, making his return to the field all the more difficult. European leagues can be much more cutthroat than MLS so his path going forward is a huge question mark now. At 25, it’s an interesting part in Lansing’s career as he’s not young but not old. If Lansing can get back to the field, he can establish his foothold again but if not, he might return to the States sooner than later.

61. Jeff Caldwell, 23 - New England Revolution
62. Andre Rawls, 30 - Colorado Rapids
63. Trevor Spangenberg, 28 - Birmingham Legion
64. Jeff Gal, 26 - Degerfors (Sweden.2)
65. Tim Murray, 32 - FC Honka (Finland.1)
66. Eric Dick, 25 - Phoenix Rising
67. Andrew Putna, 25 - Real Salt Lake
68. Connor Sparrow, 25 - Chicago Fire
69. Alexandros Tabakis, 27 - North Carolina FC
70. Bryan Meredith, 30 - Vancouver Whitecaps

One to Watch: Eric Dick. The Butler alum heads to Phoenix for 2020 on loan from Sporting Kansas City. It’s an interesting move as SKC, who still own Dick’s rights, are making room with their USL side for their teenage goalkeepers, but don’t want Dick to just sit around all year. It’s likely best to view this step as a tryout for 2021 for a new team, as SKC are likely moving on from him sooner than later. Theoretically, if Dick has a lights out 2020, he could put himself back in the mix for taking over Melia’s starting spot down the line, but he’ll have to outplay USL stalwart Zac Lubin, which will be a tough task. It’s not a backward step for Eric Dick, but he needs to find a way to keep his momentum going and not spend 2020 as a backup if he has aspirations to become an MLS starter.

71. Earl Edwards, 28 - DC United
72. Charlie Lyon, 27 - MLS Pool
73. Evan Louro, 24 - Tampa Bay Rowdies
74. Michael Nelson, 24 - Houston Dynamo
75. Cody Cropper, 26 - Houston Dynamo
76. Calle Brown, 27 - Loudoun United
77. Akira Fitzgerald, 32 - Richmond Kickers
78 Tomas Gomez, 26 - St. Louis FC
79. Kyle Morton, 25 - St. Louis FC
80. Alex Mangels, 26 - Chattanooga Red Wolves

One to Watch: Evan Louro. “Ships passing in the night” is an overused phrase and doesn’t quite fit here but I do think the USL-MLS relationship is changing. We’ve started to see MLS teams bringing up USL talent and Evan Louro could very well be the next pick of the litter. Louro replaces John McCarthy at Tampa Bay, giving a good foundation for Louro to spring into an MLS starting position down the line. Louro is a little undersized but makes up for it with his mobility. He may not pass the “eye test” as it can get a little frantic in goal but he was number one in goals saved last year in the USL Championship. If Louro can establish himself as someone whose talent exceeds the USL standard, he may not be with Tampa Bay very long.

81. Joe Kuzminsky, 26 - Maccabi Haifa (Israel.1)
82. Paul Blanchette, 25 - New York Cosmos
83. Rafael Diaz, 28 - Sacramento Republic
84. Ben Lundgaard, 24 - Atlanta United 2
85. Kyle Ihn, 25 - Oklahoma City Energy
86. Jake McGuire, 25 - Örebro SK (Sweden.1)
87. Adrian Zendejas, 24 - Nashville SC
88. Carlos dos Santos, 19 - Benfica (Portugal.1)
89. Justin vom Steeg, 22 - Los Angeles Galaxy
90. Thomas Olsen, 25 - Las Vegas Lights FC

One to Watch: Joe Kuzminsky. Maccabi Haifa now has two American goalkeepers, which means… who knows? It’s an odd move as Kuzminsky sits behind fellow American Josh Cohen on the depth chart. I can’t see another club paying for a transfer fee for Kuzminsky at the moment but perhaps he’s able to springboard to another place with playing time on the table. With both Cohen and Kuzminsky able to jump across the pond due to their passports, it’s unlikely this will set a trend for Israeli clubs picking up American talent. That said, it’s still a good sign to see European clubs keeping tabs on the USL and not just MLS. Kuzminsky is in some uncharted waters for American goalkeepers and it could either be the start of something big for Kuzminsky or a loud splash over nothing.

91. Jordan Farr, 25 - Indy Eleven
92. Chris Hubbard, 25 - Louisville City FC
93. Todd Morton, 24 - Philadelphia Union II
94. Will Dieterich, 32 - Chattanooga Red Wolves
95. Dylan Castanheira, 24 - Inter Miami
96. Jonathan Klinsmann, 22 - FC St. Gallen (Switzerland.1)
97. JT Marcinkowski, 22 - San Jose Earthquakes
98. Scott Levene, 24 - Memphis 901
99. Austin Rogers, 24 - KF Tërbuni Pukë (Alabania.1)
100. Rashid Nuhu, 24 - Unattached

One to Watch: Todd Morton. Morton has had an odd trajectory thus far, going from completely unused with Real Monarchs to picking up a chunk of the game time with Philadelphia Union’s USL team. The Union have brought in a new goalkeeper coach, Phil Wheddon, which can often reset each players, for better or for worse. Morton’s biggest challenge to the starting spot is U23 US goalkeeper Matt Freese, who has had an up-and-down tenure with injuries and U23 call-ups. The new blood in Philadelphia could help Morton live up to the promise he showed in college as a big man who wasn’t shackled in his mobility.