Rankings Analysis: Breakout sophomore stars from MLS NEXT

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The PrepSoccer Player Rankings for California for the Class of 2025 were released last week. The update to the player rankings for California comes at the end of event season in the club game as well as at the start of the high school season. Check out <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/california/rankings/boys/2025-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the full rankings here</a>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are six players who have been standouts from MLS Next during the season and joined the PrepSoccer rankings with this update. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["7568"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='7568' first='Ethan' last='Kell'] has all of the physical traits that scouts want in a goalkeeper. He is one of the tallest goalkeepers in the MLS Next in this age group. With a long wingspan, he is great on high shots and can pull off the highlight save with his tips on efforts into the top bin. He is agile on his feet - and solid with his footwork in setting his foundation before jumping. He is improving on his efforts in low shot efforts from showing how quickly he can get to the ground on grass cutting shots. Kell has the blueprint to be a great goalkeeper at the next level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["79452"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Robledo is a player on the rise in MLS Next. The Santa Barbara SC defender continues to see his stock shoot up among scouts. He is a center back who is athletic enough to play a number of positions. He is comfortable on the ball and not afraid to run at players with the ball at his feet. He could be a left back in the future with his technical ability. Robledo is sharp in the tackle and has shown good decision-making in possession. He is good at stepping up and intercepting passes and taking advantage of the game in transition. Robledo has the quality to be a top recruit from the 2025 class.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["54686"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Gale is another top goalkeeper from this class. Standing at nearly six-feet, Gale is an imposing figure at the youth level. He is quick off the line when needed and agile in contorting for saves. He has proven his quality consistently for LA Galaxy over the past couple of seasons while playing in the MLS Next. Gale's secure hands and shot-stopping are his best attributes and the reason he ranks highly among 2025 goalkeepers.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["54688"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"With LA Galaxy not fielding a team in the U16 age group in MLS Next this season, some of the top 2025s at the club have not been getting the minutes (in the spotlight) as they do at some other clubs. Gonzalez is one of those players. He buried on the depth chart behind a top 2024 at the left back position. Gonzalez has still earned his minutes while playing up an age group with the U17 team and tallied a couple of starts during the fall/winter. He is exactly the type of player you want from an outside back: good in duels, constantly tracking his mark, and sharp in passing when going forward. I haven't seen Gonzalez offer much from crosses, but he can strike the ball about as well as anyone at the youth level and he has scored some great goals from distance over the seasons.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["60783"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Baltes is another standout from the aforementioned Santa Barbara SC team. He is the No. 9 for the team. He has been in ridiculous form this club season with nearly a goal a game during the MLS NEXT event in Indio. He has a good first touch - any pass into him is usually brought down cleanly. He is calm around the goal and a really good finisher. Baltes is a relatively new name for this season, but he has proven his worth with SBSC.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["59950"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Linares plays left center back for LAFC. He has been one of the most consistent defenders this season for the club's U16 team. He is a dependable player who likes to have the game in front of him. He will drop off often to support his teammates, but he does step up when needed. He is solid in the tackle and rarely dives in. Linares' quality this season has been a major reason why LAFC's U16 is 12-2 on the campaign.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63c1a0914075c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->