With the 2017 season completed, everyone has turned their attention to 2018. Preseason, schedule releases and player signings dominate the headlines in MLS. However, there is another big event on the way: U.S. national team January Camp. The camp is usually comprised of players from MLS and the Scandinavian leagues that are on winter break, and will allow the coaching staff to evaluate a lot of young or untapped talent.

With the U.S. looking to shake things up after missing out on the World Cup this cycle, this January Camp is the perfect time to call up Christian Ramirez.

Since he came to Minnesota in 2014, Ramirez has scored 67 goals in 125 appearances in all competitions. This strike rate puts him among the top American players in the world during that timeframe. He proved that he can produce at a top level with 14 goals in his first MLS season, tying him for 11th most in the league.

Only two Americans scored more than Ramirez: C.J. Sapong and Jozy Altidore. A good part of those players’ totals, however, were penalty kicks. With Kevin Molino handling penalties for MNUFC, Ramirez had fewer opportunities to catch up with the rest of the field. So let’s level the playing field to non-penalty goals.

The numbers speak for themselves.

Discussions about Ramirez, or any player on the bubble of deserving a call-up, always end up on the question, “Can they produce at this level?” Ramirez has proven time and again that he can at any level. From a junior college player, to USL, NASL and now MLS, he always finds a way to score. Especially when you need it most.

Besides his three match-winning goals this season, Ramirez scored three goals that tied a match the Loons would go on to win. Throw in a handful of assists and it’s easy to see his influence on the Loons’ results.

The U.S. is in need of a natural finisher if it wants to return to the World Cup and give a good account of itself in Qatar in 2022. That’s a role that Ramirez can slot into with ease. At 26 years old, he may not fit the program’s current “youth movement.” But he brings a lot of talent and experience the squad will need to help drive the younger players and make a run in Qualifying, the Gold Cup and the proposed CONCACAF Nations League.

The U.S. is set to play Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 28 in Carson, California, to finish off January Camp this year. There is hardly a better way to kick off a new era of U.S. soccer than with Ramirez making his national team debut in his hometown. A goal or two wouldn’t hurt either.