Hype Tracker: March 2020 (Coronoavirus Edition)

I write one of these periodically (every few months) and with the lack of actual games being played now seemed like a good time.

*If you’ve been reading these feel free to skip down a few paragraphs*

The “hype” a player gets or how good each USMNT player is generally considered is tough to determine. One way a value can be assigned is straight up $. How much would teams be willing to pay for Player X? There’s no way to know for sure, but one way to estimate is through the use of Transfermarkt.

This is a German website that provides player values. The values provided are “crowd sourced,” but generally considered fairly trustworthy. Here’s a brief description of how it works:

The USMNT Player Pool

The list of players you see below and in the accompanying charts are my opinion on who makes up the US player pool. There may be a player or two that you would include that I didn’t. That’s tough. I know Brad Guzan should probably be on there, but he’s a backup keeper and I took him off last time…and frankly, I don’t feel like putting him back on. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Previous Versions: Winter 19, Spring 19, Summer 19, Fall 20′

Added to the pool since Fall 19′

Jesus Ferreira – This may be a little premature but given the lack of depth at forward and Ferreira’s good showing in January camp I don’t think it’s unreasonable. The concern is that he’s been playing in midfield for Dallas and didn’t start off the season great. That’ll be worth keeping an eye on whenever things start back up again.

Gio Reyna – Gio has never even played for the full national team, but I don’t think I’m going to get a lot of push back on this one. He’s an impact sub for Dortmund and will surely start a couple games for them whenever the heavily congested fixture list gets scheduled.

Dropped from pool since Fall 19′

Nick Lima – Little bummed about this. I thought he generally played well for the team when he got his chances. The US is suddenly very deep at right back though. Dest and Cannon are probably the top two and that still leaves Yedlin. Maybe Lima will get a shot at left back someday since he plays there with San Jose.

Jonathan Lewis – Maybe I should have “relegated” him to the Baby Nats list, but I think he’s a little too old to go there. Maybe the light will go on someday, but a guy that’s a bench option for the Rapids isn’t going to make my list.

Alphabetical List

“High” Value

“Low” Value

Stock Up

Lots of growth this time around. One would expect that with a team as young as the USMNT is right now, but it’s still good to see things heading in the right direction. 12 players saw an increase of more than 20% in their value. I’m not a stock broker or anything, but that seems good.

Gio Reyna (+∞%)

Going up infinity is okay, I guess. Reyna wasn’t even assigned a value when I did this in November of 2019 and now he’s the fifth most valuable player on the USMNT. Assuming he keeps playing and playing well this number will keep increasing. Really bummed we didn’t get to see him with the full team. I know it’s a small thing with all the serious stuff going on, but it still blows.

Sergino Dest (+251%)

Dest is in the “stock up” section for the second consecutive edition of this piece. If he’s in the third I think that means he’ll be one of the best right backs in the world. *crosses fingers* He’s put Noussair Mazraoui on the bench for Ajax and looks to be moving to Bayern Munich in the not too distant future. Things are going pretty well for Mr. Dest, and by extension the USMNT.

Jordan Morris (169%)

I thought Morris’ value should have taken a jump the last time I did this, but it looks like Transfermarkt’s valuations lag a little bit behind, especially when it comes to non-European leagues. Morris had an excellent year for both the Sounders and the national team. He also started this season hot for the Sounders. I, like many others, are ready to see him make the jump to Europe, but he’s been progressing nicely in MLS. Hope he doesn’t plateau by staying too long though.

Jesus Ferreira (+157%)

Ferreira quietly had a really good year (8g, 5a) while playing a variety of positions (mostly 10 though) with FC Dallas last year and started out 2020 by playing well with the national team. It’s too bad we didn’t get to see him play a few games with the Olympic team…that would have been some very interesting data.

Aaron Long (+125%)

Another player who’s value valuation lagged a little imo. Long has been involved in transfer speculation the last two windows and is supposedly unhappy he hasn’t moved yet. He’s the USMNT’s best defensive center back (Miles Robinson may have passed him, but we haven’t seen him enough yet) and I think he’s stagnated with NYRB. Let him go, New York. Please?

Stock Down

Tim Ream (-42%)

Ream is in the stock down group for the second time in a row. That seems harsh. I haven’t watched Fulham in a while, but from what i hear/read he’s playing well for a team that is in contention for promotion. It’s gotta be the age thing, I guess. Ream is fills a pretty important role as Brooks’ backup since they’re really the only two good passing CBs the team has at the moment.

Baby Nats

This list is a little harder because there are so many players to keep track of and their fortunes can rise and fall so quickly. I also don’t want to keep track of a million players. These are the guys that I think are the closest to breaking into the full national team.

New to the list:

Jose Gallegos: Have you seen the highlights? I can’t take that chance. Watch them below. Most exciting new U20 attacking player in the pool right now.

Little-known Jose Gallegos (‘01) emerged at San Antonio FC in 2019

Season compilation (15 min): https://t.co/Tpvwt7dBCo pic.twitter.com/v3RQHOuWKr

— Watke (@Watke_) December 15, 2019

Nicholas Gioacchini: I haven’t been able to see him play yet, but he’s a starter for Caen in Ligue 2. Playing pretty well fro them from what I hear and there are rumors first division clubs are interested.

Andrija Novakovich: I was actually kinda ready to stop paying attention to Novakovich and put him on the pile of players that will have a nice career in a second division somewhere, but then I saw some interesting quotes from his coach, his team is in contention for promotion to Serie A, and he’s scoring goals. Seems worth keeping an eye on.

Owen Otasowie: This is kind of a gut feeling. He just feels like a player to me. If he can break through at CB/DM for Wolverhampton we may have one of those ball playing center backs the USMNT needs so badly.

Moses Nyeman: I’ve been hearing this kid’s name for so long it seems like he had to go on the list. I’m not real hopeful that Ben Olsen will ever play a youth player, but maybe he’ll get fired someday.

Sam Vines: Vines is a 20 year old left back that played over 2,000 minutes in MLS last year. The US doesn’t have so many left backs that we can ignore a guy like Vines. (Plus I almost dropped Bello off this list – maybe next time)

Dropped off the list:

Austen Trusty: He doesn’t look like a high ceiling prospect to me anymore. You never know. Development isn’t linear and all that, but Philly dealing him to Colorado wasn’t exactly a great sign.

Alphabetical List

Stock Up

Miles Robinson (+244%)

I mentioned this above, but Robinson may have overtaken Long last season as the best American CB in MLS. If Atlanta had allowed it he would have been a lock starter for the Olympic team and I think he’ll be pushing Long for that “Sweeper CB” spot in the near future. He also still has room to grow in MLS before he needs to move to a better league. Exciting young defender.

Brandon Servania (+208%)

I’m assuming this is based on Servania getting first team minutes with Dallas last season. He’s a good defensive 8 or offensive 6 depending on how you want to look at him. I’m not sure he has the upside of some other guys on this list, but what do I know. Remember…I’m an idiot.

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