Fansided

10 potential breakout players for the 2018 MLS season

By Harrison Hamm

FRISCO, TX - JUNE 27: FC Dallas defender Reggie Cannon (22) looks to pass the ball during the game between FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids on June 27, 2017, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
FRISCO, TX - JUNE 27: FC Dallas defender Reggie Cannon (22) looks to pass the ball during the game between FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids on June 27, 2017, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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SANDY, UT – JULY 17: Andreas Pereira of Manchester United in action with Danilo Acosta of Real Salt Lake during the pre-season friendly match between Real Salt Lake and Manchester United at Rio Tinto Stadium on July 17, 2017 in Sandy, Utah. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)
SANDY, UT – JULY 17: Andreas Pereira of Manchester United in action with Danilo Acosta of Real Salt Lake during the pre-season friendly match between Real Salt Lake and Manchester United at Rio Tinto Stadium on July 17, 2017 in Sandy, Utah. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images) /

1. Danilo Acosta (Real Salt Lake)

As discussed, Real Salt Lake rode their young players to red-hot second half of the season, just missing playoff qualification. Among those players was Acosta, a 20-year-old right-back who started 16 games and played 1,400 minutes. He projects as the starter this season.

Acosta is versatile in his uses and comfortable moving up in the attack. He looked like a veteran in his time last season, playing confidently and calmly next to peers like Justen Glad, a teammate of Acosta’s at the U-20 World Cup (Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo joined them there — all hail RSL’s youth setup).

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As long as Mike Petke doesn’t choose veteran Demar Phillips over Acosta, and that would be an inexplicable decision, we should see the Honduran-born Homegrown eat the bulk of right-back minutes. RSL will be among the Western Conference’s best, mostly thanks to their squadron of exciting Homegrowns.

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