Pierre Schoeman is at loose-head prop and Ewan Ashman at hooker while Murphy Walker – who has just three caps – is given a chance at tight-head.
Elliot Millar Mills, Max Williamson, Luke Crosbie, Rory Sutherland, Robbie Smith, Ross Thompson, Jamie Dobie and Matt Currie are all named among the replacements having played in Canada last weekend.
Scotland opened their summer tour last weekend by sweeping aside Canada and, after playing the US, Townsend’s side take on Chile (20 July) and Uruguay (27 July) live on BBC Scotland and iPlayer.
Scotland last faced the US in 2018, when a side containing Stuart Hogg, Blair Kinghorn, Hastings and Zander and Matt Fagerson lost 30-29 in Houston.
Scotland team to play the United States
Rowe; Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (all Glasgow), Van der Merwe (Edinburgh); Hastings, Horne (both Glasgow); Walker (Glasgow), Ashman, Schoeman (both Edinburgh); Cummings (Glasgow), Craig (Scarlets); Ritchie (Edinburgh), Darge, M Fagerson (both Glasgow).
Replacements: Smith (Northampton), Sutherland (Glasgow), Millar Mills (Northampton), Williamson (Glasgow), Crosbie (Edinburgh), Dobie (Glasgow), Thompson, Currie (both Edinburgh).
