by Keith Costigan

Updated: March 26, 2008, 4:12 AM EST 6 comments

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Every time we talk about MLS we seem to mention the foreign players that grace the league and, while the likes of Beckham and Angel may garner all the headlines, we shouldn't forget the tremendous young American talent on display every week.

Despite the fact that many U.S. youngsters are being snapped up by European clubs during every transfer window, a new generation continues to fill the pipeline as kids who grew up watching MLS are now filling out its ranks.

I have spotlighted eight of the best young U.S. players who I expect to be vital to their teams' success this season including the one I believe will outshine all the foreign imports in what will surely be his last season on these shores.

Steve Cronin, L.A. Galaxy (age 24)

Position: Goalkeeper
MLS Experience: 3 years

After spending the last three years making only a handful of competitive starts, Steve Cronin will finally be given a chance to be the outright number one for the L.A. Galaxy.

A lot of people saw it as a big gamble by the Galaxy to allow Joe Cannon to move on and hand the starting job to a relatively untried youngster. But that just shows how highly Cronin is rated within the Galaxy camp.

It should also be noted that Cronin has bags of experience at the youth national team level and that should help in his transition from backup to being the number one for the most scrutinized team in MLS. All eyes will be on Cronin but he has the temperament to become one of the best shot-stoppers in MLS.

Brad Guzan, Chivas USA (age 23)

Position: Goalkeeper
MLS Experience: 3 years

The fact that Aston Villa and Celtic would both have gladly added Brad Guzan to their squad had he been eligible for a work permit shows just how good the Chivas USA goalkeeper has become since he entered the league three years ago.

The reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year kept thirteen clean sheets last year due in large part to some acrobatic shot-stopping ability that has seen him become a regular in Bob Bradley's U.S. squad.

We talk about the strength in depth of the goalkeepers this country has produced over the last decade and Guzan has more than enough ability to follow in the footsteps of Friedel, Howard and co. Enjoy watching him while you can because this will be Brad Guzan's last season in MLS before he embarks on his European adventure.

Maurice Edu, Toronto FC (age 21)

Position: Central midfielder
MLS Experience: 1 year

Toronto may not have had too much to cheer about last year, but the play of top draft pick Maurice Edu at least shows they have a talented young player to build their future around.

The reigning MLS Rookie of the Year was a revelation in midfield and also managed to pop up with four goals for a side that struggled to find the net with any regularity. His time spent with the U.S. national team should give him more confidence in his own ability and I expect Edu to be one of the most consistent defensive midfielders in MLS.

Don't expect his goal scoring return to go up though as that is not really his game.

Michael Parkhurst, New England Revolution (age 24)

Position: Center back
MLS Experience: 3 years

The only surprise with Michael Parkhurst is that he is still in MLS for the upcoming season. Rumors had the MLS Defender of the Year heading to join the growing American contingent at Fulham but fortunately for Revs fans the move never materialized and now Steve Nicol will build his back line around the classy defender.

Amazingly, Parkhurst never received one caution last year as his reading of the game was impeccable and meant he was rarely caught out of position. He also scored his first ever goal with a 50-yard bomb against Toronto, but it will be his defensive prowess and not his goal scoring ability that will make him one of the stars in the league again this year.

Sacha Kljestan, Chivas USA (age 22)

Position: Midfielder
MLS Experience: 2 years

Sacha Kljestan has been one of the vital cogs in the success of Chivas USA over the last few seasons. Kljestan was second in the league last year with 13 assists, showing he has tremendous passing ability and proving he has improved from his first season when he had a tendency to hold onto the ball too long at times.

Kljestan is now a full international with a lot of potential but must continue to improve his decision making if he wants to be considered as a player who could move on to the next level. If he continues his progression as a player, Chivas USA will have another successful season and Sacha will be one of the main reasons why.

Dax McCarty, FC Dallas (age 20)

Position: Midfielder
MLS Experience: 2 years

Dax McCarty may look like a stiff breeze would blow him over but don't let appearances fool you. This Dallas youngster is one of the most combative young midfielders in MLS.

McCarty fought his way into Steve Morrow's starting eleven last season and his impressive all-around play gained him 25 appearances with an impressive 18 starts. The former Tar Heel also managed to lead the team in assists with seven.

Almost all of these assists came from set pieces — something that McCarty particularly excels at. If he can continue to build himself up and compete physically at this level then he can become a creative force in the Dallas side for many years to come.

Robbie Findley, Real Salt Lake (age 22)

Position: Forward
MLS Experience: 1 year

Many rookies would have lost their confidence had they been traded from the Galaxy to Real Salt Lake halfway through their first season, but Robbie Findley scored twice on his Salt Lake debut to show he was not going to let a move to the league's worst club stop him from showcasing his ability.

Findley has incredible pace that will always cause defenders trouble although he will have to improve his finishing to consistently score at this level. With goal-scoring legend Jason Kreis mentoring Findley, he should definitely develop into a consistent goal-scorer for many years to come. I'm guessing the ones against the Galaxy will give him the most joy.

And finally the cream of the crop ...

Jozy Altidore, New York Red Bulls (age 18)

Position: Forward
MLS Experience: 2 years

Jozy Altidore is arguably the most talented young American soccer star to emerge in a very long time. Last season, the 18-year old managed to score 9 goals in only 15 starts and at times overshadowed his more illustrious strike partner Juan Pablo Angel.

Altidore has pace, power and a great temperament that should take him further than any American has ever gone in world soccer. The last few years has seen Freddy Adu get most of the attention of U.S. soccer fans. But that has allowed Jozy to develop without having to deal with all the media attention which has certainly helped him.

If he remains fit for the entire season expect Altidore to finish as top scorer in the league. It will be a fitting finale to his time in New York because he is a certainty to move on to one of Europe's elite clubs come next January.

Fox Soccer Channel's Keith Costigan writes about American soccer for FOXSoccer.com, and contributes his blog to interact with his fans.