Who will be Orlando City's next Alex Freeman?

Even the most optimistic of Orlando City fans would never have predicted back in February just how much Alex Freeman would achieve throughout the duration of his rookie season.

Six goals,11 USMNT appearances, an All-Star call-up, recognition asMajor League Soccer's brightest young star, and inclusion in the league's Best XI later, Orlando's homegrown right-back is now being hunted by clubs across Europe.

However sudden, Freeman's rise is testament to the club's serious investment in its academy, particularly durinng the tenures of Ricardo Moreira and the recently-departed Luiz Muzzi. Winning the Generation adidas Cup earlier this year, Orlando now boast one of the most enviable youth set-ups in the entire world.

If the 21-year-old does depart for pastures new in the near future, supporters can rest easy knowing that he will not be the last to emerge from the club's production line to bring a fresh new dimension to Óscar Pareja's senior team.

Let's take a look at some of the candidates bidding to be Orlando's next homegrown star:

Colin Guske

Before Freeman burst onto the scene, it certainly looked like 2025 could've been Colin Guske's year.

The midfielder's unofficial senior debut in January's pre-season meeting with Atlético Mineiro coincided with Wilder Cartagena's season-ending injury, but Orlando instead opted for an experienced replacement by acquiring Eduard Atuesta on a one-year deal from Palmeiras.

Joran Gerbet's steady performances straight out of the draft added even more saturation to Pareja's midfield, ultimately relegating the 18-year-old to Orlando City B for the majority of the season. Still,18 appearances in MLS NEXT Pro combined with sporadic first-team minutes represents a solid year of development.

Guske's homegrown contract, signed in December last year, runs through 2027 with an option for 2028, meaning he has ample time to fully break into Pareja's plans. If his assured second-half performance in May's I-4 Derby mauling of Tampa Bay Rowdies is anything to go by, a Freeman-like breakout is almost a given.

With Gerbet nursing a tear to his left ACL and uncertainties regarding the futures of Cartagena, Atuesta, and Araújo, this could come as soon as early next year.

Gustavo Caraballo

Guske may have impressed in his 45-minute stint against the Rowdies, but it was another academy star who made that game his own.

Gustavo Caraballo's brace - one with either foot - inspired Orlando to an eventual 5-0 win over their long-time Florida rivals. However unbelievable the 17-year-old's performance may have been to supporters that night, his track record suggests that it was only a matter of time.

Weeks before, Caraballo netted a cool five goals - including braces in both the semi-final and final - as Orlando claimed that milestone Generation adidas Cup title.

He also impressed in semi-frequent cameos off the bench towards the start of Orlando's league campaign. Replacing Atuesta in the 86th minute as Pareja and co. chased a 2-1 deficit away at NYCFC, his clever first touch lured Kevin O'Toole into a second yellow card and handed his team a much-needed lifeline.

For whatever reason, these sporadic opportunities off the bench dried up after summer. But his late-season form for Orlando City B, as well as his ongoing run with Venezuela U-17 at this winter's FIFA U-17 World Cup, should see him return to the fold in 2026, eager to add more special moments to his ever-growing catalogue.

Zakaria Taifi

The first player to climb the full ladder of Orlando's development pathway, Zakaria Taifi is an extraordinary story.

From participating in the club's local soccer schools as a kid to appearing for Pareja's first-team on nine occasions in 2025, the 20-year-old is all the proof you need of what Orlando can offer young players.

But Taifi has equally had to work for his opportunity.

Accruing 51 appearances over four seasons with Orlando City B, the defender is the most experienced of this list at that level. He has been made to bide his time and learn his craft, but he is beginning to reap the rewards.

Taifi's wealth of experience bodes well. Let's not forget, Freeman spent three years almost exclusively with the development side in between making his senior debut and actually establishing himself in Pareja's first team.

If his defensive colleague does depart, Taifi can look forward to even more opportunities to impress in 2026.