2015 MLS Season: 10 Players Poised for Breakout Years

May 10, 2014; Harrison, NJ, USA; Chicago Fire midfielder Harry Shipp (19) celebrates his second goal of the game in front of New York Red Bulls defender Kosuke Kimura (27) and New York Red Bulls defender Roy Miller (7) and New York Red Bulls midfielder Dax McCarty (11) and Chicago Fire forward/midfielder Patrick Nyarko (14) during the second half of a game at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The tentative 2015 MLS Campaign is poised to be a big one.  Not only has the league seen an influx of players coming from foreign leagues and the addition of two franchises in New York and Orlando, but as always the league is bound to have a few diamonds in the rough unearth themselves this year.  Last year players like Lee Nguyen, Dom Dwyer, Fabian Castillo, and Gyasi Zardes rose to the opportunity, becoming vital cogs to their respective machines.  It happens every year.  Role players and middle-0f-the-pack guys hit their groove, be it the right system, supporting staff, or just plain luck, and improve tenfold overnight.

Imagine it as Soccer’s own version of Jeremy Lin, the Los Angeles Lakers basketball player who was a benchwarmer for the Golden State Warriors as well as a few teams abroad before skyrocketing to stardom for the New York Knicks.  In recent history, players in MLS like Brek Shea fall into this category.  Shea failed to score in his first two seasons for FC Dallas, and netted 5 times in his 3rd.  However in his 4th season, Shea scored 11 times in 31 appearances and took home MLS MVP honors as well.   In addition, his breakout year earned big contract from the Premeir League’s Stoke City which unfortunately did not quite pan out for Brek but that’s besides the point.

So Who’s going to be that next Brek Shea?  They’re not always players who are slept on (Shea was a 2nd overall draft pick), but they’re ones who take a few years to fully blossom.  And now more than ever, there is a crop of players in MLS oozing with the potential to become the next breakout stars.

Here are the top 10 picks.