MLS' 17 most intriguing players for 2022: Taty Castellanos, Walker Zimmerman, Thiago Almada, more

The 27th Major League Soccer season got underway in late-February and, with each passing year, the league becomes an increasingly interesting blend of veterans and young talent. It's still a landing spot for aging stars despite being more of a developmental league than it used to be.

If you are easing into the league as Europe's season ends, let's talk about a few of the names you will be familiar with in the coming months. There are 17 players who interest me the most.

Taty Castellanos, New York City FC, and Carles Gil, New England Revolution

There are two obvious ones.

Castellanos was an outstanding scorer and almost broke the DAVIES model. Castellanos was the next-best player in the league in terms of goals added and his on-ball contributions were nearly 50% higher than the next-best player. Only three players could top that total in Europe in 2021-22. He is good.

The 29-year old Gil led the league in assists and chances created, and was close to the top in those categories. In the first four matches of the MLS season, he set up 14 chances with one assist and added two assists in New England's March 10 win over Pumas.

• Castellanos has played 663 minutes in the MLS and has four goals on 29 shots and 17 chances.

• Gil has played 480 minutes in the MLS season and 22 chances in the CCL.

Djordje Mihailovic, CF Montreal

It feels like he has already lived a couple of football lives, and he is only 23. In his first season with Montreal, he had 16 assists, second only to Gil, and he was the most creative player in the league.

• There are two goals on seven shots and 22 chances created in the MLS season.

Andreu Fontas, Sporting Kansas City

It is a pivot and a center-back at the same time. He had by far the most carries (2,165) for the most meters (10,399) on the most carries heavy team in the league. He was asked to make a lot of passes in the attacking half as part of the high defensive line.

• There have been zero goals on five shots, one chance created, 261 carries, and 28 defensive touches.

Thiago Almada, Atlanta United FC

Transfermarkt says that the 20-year old is the most valuable addition in the league, and he could do fun things up front with the other forwards. This team has the highest overall roster value, but it has been a while since it was clicking on all cylinders.

Due to visa issues, Almada only joined the team recently. He made his debut a week and a half ago.

• 78 minutes, one goal on one shot, one chance created, five ball recoveries.

Xherdan Shaqiri, Chicago Fire FC, and Lorenzo Insigne, Toronto FC

After leavingLiverpool, the 30-year-old Xherdan Shaqiri scored two goals and three assists for Lyon in 11 Ligue 1 matches, then became Chicago's most expensive ever signing in February. He doesn't spend a lot of time in the opponents box, but he should assure you that Chicago gets the ball there more often than it did a season ago, when they were 14th in shots per possession and 25th in xG per shot.

How can Chicago and Shaqiri turn each other around?

We will have to wait a bit longer to see what Insigne can do. Despite a number of recent fitness issues, he is on pace for about nine and 66 this season, which would be a new record for the club, as it pushes for its first Scudetto since 1990. He will join Toronto in July when he is healthy.

• There are four matches and one goal on five shots and 12 chances created.

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Yimmi Chara, Portland Timbers

A Gundogan Award winner for 2021, the 30-year old puts in the miles and is an absolute delight to watch. One of the league's better crossers from the wing, he tracks all the way back and defends like a fullback.

Chara scored six goals and created 79 chances last year, and if his brother Diego's career path is any indication, Yimmi could continue to improve for a few more years. It appears he has added bicycle kick to his skill set. There were no complaints here.

• There have been four matches and there have been two goals on eight shots and 13 chances created.

Josef Martinez, Atlanta United FC, and Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders FC

Now for the two attackers. He scored 63 goals with 11 assists in the two previous seasons, but he missed 2020 with a knee injury and his production was a shadow of its former self. He could create an incredibly entertaining attack if he were to return to his full form.

Morris, who had suffered a torn anterior cruciate knee in his fourth appearance for the Swans, was given a break by taking on a loan to the Welsh club last winter. He has scored double-digit goals in MLS play three times, and he could be part of a rejuvenated Seattle attack if he is 100%.

• There are four chances created and two assists in the four matches that he has played.

• Morris has played 509 minutes in the MLS season and has three goals on 10 shots and four chances.

Frankie Amaya, New York Red Bulls

The perfect young player for a Red Bull team, Amaya has had an up-and-down development in New York and hasn't contributed a ton in the ball progression department in previous seasons. He started the year aggressive and successful.

He has already created seven chances and three assists, but he had just 13 and one in the entire year.

He is a major reason the Red Bulls have started the season well. Let's see if he can keep up.

• 358 minutes, seven chances created, three assists, 61% success rate, 35 ball recoveries

Sebastian Driussi, Austin FC

One of the most unique paths you will ever see is the path the forward has taken, playing four seasons in Argentina, then four in Russia and finally landing in Texas in 2021. He scored five times in 17 matches for Austin last fall, and he has scored in both the Copa Libertadores and the European competition.

Driussi has put the ball in the net three times. They came from shots worth just 1.5 xG, so like Austin he will probably regression to the mean a bit, but this team played better down the stretch last season (19 points in their first 25 matches, then 12 from their last nine), and Driussi was one of the players.

• There are four matches and 355 minutes with three goals from 12 shots and five chances created.

Miles Robinson, Atlanta United FC, and Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC

Two of the most important players in the pool remain in the US. Robinson and Zimmerman have combined for 1,263 minutes at center-back in World Cup qualification so far, with Robinson winning more aerials than any other player. American fans will be rooting for them to maintain their excellent form into next fall, when a trip to Qatar looms.

• Robinson's current statistics include: 266 minutes, 83% pass completion rate, 55% duel success rate, 80% aerial success, and 16 ball recoveries.

• The current statistics for the man are as follows: 347 minutes (four matches), 82% pass completion rate, 64% duel success rate, and 36 ball recoveries.

Matt Turner, New England Revolution

Turner's form could be important for the USMNT's hopes of making the World Cup, as well as its hopes of performing well if it does. He will get one last run in New England when he arrives in the summer, but we will see how his playing time changes when he arrives. His status for the upcoming World Cup qualification window is in doubt because of an ankle injury.

Auston Trusty, Colorado Rapids

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