by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Sep 25, 2013

[MLS SPOTLIGHT]

DeAndre Yedlin

Gyasi Zardes

Dillon Powers

Andrew Farrell

Kelyn Rowe

Carlos Salcedo

Jonathan Osorio

Austin Berry

Matt Hedges

Raymon Gaddis

Chris Klute

Shane O'Neill

Marky Delgado

Clint Irwin

2013 MLS Rookie Class

(1000+ minutes)

:

MIN. PLAYER, TEAM

2398 Dillon Powers





2363 Andrew Farrell

2171 (HG) DeAndre Yedlin

2022 Carlos Alvarez

1936 Deshorn Brown

1813 (HG) Scott Caldwell

1720 (HG) Gyasi Zardes

1439 Jonathan Osorio

1365 (HG) Chad Barson

1070 Carlos Salcedo

1055 Adam Jahn

1029 (HG) Will Trapp

2012 MLS Rookie Class (1000+ minutes):

2520 *Austin Berry

2175 *Nick DeLeon

2088 (HG) Connor Lade

2061 *Luis Silva

2022 *Matt Hedges

1897 *Kelyn Rowe

1692 Tony Cascio

1620 Ryan Meara

1475 *Raymon Gaddis

1300 Darren Mattocks,

1156 Andy Rose,

2013 MLS Sophomore Class

(1000+ minutes)

:

MIN. PLAYER, TEAM (STATS)

2610 Austin Berry,

2478 Matt Hedges

2336 Chris Klute

2255 Raymon Gaddis

2142 Andrew Jean-Baptiste

2078 Kelyn Rowe

1683 Luis Silva

1676 Nick DeLeon

1837 (HG) Shane O'Neill

1247 (HG) Marky Delgado



1220 Warren Creavelle



1011 (HG) Jose Villarreal





How good is this year's rookie class? We'll only know down the road just how good are players likeand, but they certainly have done better than last year's rookie class. A look at last year's rookie class offers a cautionary note. Of the 11 rookies who played 1,000 or more minutes in 2012, only six are starting regularly in 2013, and only one rookie, New England's, is starting regularly for a team in the playoff zone.The first thing that is evident about the 2013 rookie class is that the standout players are all playing for playoff contenders -- title contenders in the case of Yedlin's Sounders and Zardes' Galaxy and 2013 surprises like Powers' Rapids and Farrell's Revs.The other factor is the growing influence of the MLS academy system. Seven of the 12 rookies who have already played 1,000-plus minutes in 2013 were signed from their academy teams even if two of them,(Real Salt Lake) and(Toronto FC), aren't technically homegrown players.Last year, New York'swas the only one of the 11 rookies to play 1,000-plus minutes who was a homegrown signing, and he has faded from the picture in 2013.Besides Rowe, the only 2012 rookies who have duplicated their success in 2013 are all defenders:(Chicago),(FC Dallas)and(Philadelphia).Perhaps the best player from the rookie class of 2012 is, who played all of one game for Colorado in 2012 after signing from the Atlanta Silverbacks in midseason. He already has seven assists this season and has emerged as one of the best left backs in MLS.Indeed, Klute is one of three MLS sophomores who have played 1,000-plus minutes and played just one game in 2012. His 90 minutes were more than Rapids teammate(four minutes) or Chivas USA defender(17 minutes) got in 2012.Like Klute, O'Neill won a starting job on the Rapids early in the season, and he kept it after returning from the U-20 World Cup.MLS's strict construction of its rookie criteria -- rookies are players with no previous pro experience at any level -- means that Klute, O'Neill and Delgado are ineligible for 2013 Rookie of the Year consideration -- MLB rules allow for players to keep their rookie status until they have up to 130 at-bats in previous seasons -- as is Rapids keeper, whose only previous "pro" experience was in third level USL PRO.Perhaps the most amazing story of the 2013 MLS season has been Colorado's success. The Rapids are in playoff contention despite regularly starting five players whose previous first division pro experience was a combined two games, the one MLS game each played by Klute and O'Neill in 2012., Colorado (4 goals, 4 assists), New England (1 assist), Seattle (1 goal, 2 assists), Chivas USA (2 goals, 3 assists), Colorado (7 goals, 3 assists), New England (1 goal, 2 assists), Los Angeles (3 goals, 1 assist), Toronto FC (5 goals), Columbus, Real Salt Lake, San Jose (4 goals, 1 assist), Columbus (1 assist)HG=homegrown signing., Chicago (3 goals), D.C. United (6 goals, 4 assists), New York (3 assists), Toronto FC (5 goals, 5 assists), FC Dallas (3 goals), New England (3 goals, 5 assists), Colorado (3 goals, 3 assists), New York (1.50 GAA), Philadelphia (1 assist)Vancouver (7 goals, 1 assist)Seattle (1 goal, 1 assist)*regular starters in 2013.HG=homegrown signing.Chicago (1 goal, 2 assists), FC Dallas (3 goals), Colorado (7 assists), Philadelphia, Portland (1 goal, 1 assist), New England (7 goals, 6 assists), D.C. United (3 goals, 4 assists), D.C. United (1 goal, 1 assist), Colorado, Chivas USA (1 assist), Houston (3 goals, 2 assists), LA Galaxy (2 goals, 1 assist)HG=homegrown signing.