THIRTY-SIX ACADEMY ALUMNI SELECTED IN 2019 MLS SUPERDRAFT
Thirty-six of the 75 players selected in this month's MLS Superdraft spent at least one season of their youth careers in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Nearly half of the 2019 Superdraft class registered time in the Academy, representing 29 clubs and 104 combined seasons of Academy experience.
The most players, three each, came from New Jersey's Players Development Academy and the San Jose Earthquakes. Ten Academy Best XI honorees were drafted, while five Academy champions were selected by MLS clubs: 2012-13 Real Salt Lake AZ U-15/16's Luis Barraza (New York City FC), 2013-14 Players Development Academy U-17/18's Anderson Asiedu (Atlanta United FC) and Franky Martinez (Sporting Kansas City) as well as 2014-15 Chicago Fire U-17/18's Brad Dunwell (Houston Dynamo) and Ryan Sierakowski (Portland Timbers).
Two of the Superdraft's top picks also recently shone on the international stage, helping the USA to the 2018 Concacaf Under-20 Championship: No. 1 overall selection Frankie Amaya (FC Cincinnati) and No. 6 Griffin Dorsey (Toronto FC).
Below is a full list of Academy players selected in the 2019 Superdraft, listed with their Academy affiliation.
Rd. |
Pick |
MLS Club |
Player |
College |
Academy Club |
Seasons |
Notes |
1 |
1 |
FC Cincinnati |
Frankie Amaya |
UCLA |
Pateadores |
4 |
2017-18 West Conf Best XI (Midfielder) |
1 |
2 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
Siad Haji |
VCU |
Seacoast United |
2 |
2015-16 East Conf Best XI (Midfielder) |
1 |
3 |
Orlando City SC |
Santiago Patiño |
FIU |
Carolina Rapids/Charlotte Soccer Academy |
4 |
|
1 |
6 |
Toronto FC |
Griffin Dorsey |
Indiana |
Colorado Rush |
4 |
2015-16 Central Conf Player of the Year |
1 |
8 |
Houston Dynamo |
Sam Junqua |
California |
San Jose Earthquakes/De Anza Force |
4 |
2012-13 U-15/16 West Conf Best XI (Defender) |
1 |
9 |
New England Revolution |
Tajon Buchanan |
Syracuse |
Real Colorado |
2 |
|
1 |
10 |
FC Dallas |
John Nelson |
North Carolina |
Internationals |
7 |
|
1 |
12 |
New York City FC |
Luis Barraza |
Marquette |
Real Salt Lake |
3 |
2012-13 U-15/16 National Champion (Real Salt Lake AZ) |
1 |
13 |
FC Cincinnati |
Logan Gdula |
Wake Forest |
Oakwood Soccer Club |
3 |
|
1 |
14 |
D.C. United |
Akeem Ward |
Creighton |
Shattuck-Saint Mary's |
4 |
2014-15 U-17/18 Central Conf Best XI (Defender) |
1 |
15 |
Minnesota United FC |
Chase Gasper |
Maryland |
Bethesda SC |
1 |
2013-14 U-17/18 East Conf Best XI (Defender) |
1 |
17 |
Real Salt Lake |
Sam Brown |
Harvard |
Crew SC Academy Wolves |
4 |
|
1 |
21 |
Sporting Kansas City |
Kamar Marriott |
Florida Gulf Coast |
Dallas Texans |
1 |
|
1 |
23 |
Portland Timbers |
Ryan Sierakowski |
Michigan State |
Sockers FC/Chicago Fire |
3 |
2014-15 U-17/18 National Champion (Chicago Fire) |
1 |
24 |
Atlanta United FC |
Anderson Asiedu |
UCLA |
Players Development Academy |
2 |
2013-14 U-17/18 National Champion (PDA) |
2 |
28 |
Colorado Rapids |
Marcello Borges |
Michigan |
New York Red Bulls |
3 |
|
2 |
29 |
FC Cincinnati |
Tommy McCabe |
Notre Dame |
Players Development Academy |
5 |
|
2 |
31 |
Minnesota United FC |
Hassani Dotson |
Oregon State |
Crossfire Premier |
2 |
|
2 |
32 |
New York Red Bulls |
Rece Buckmaster |
Indiana |
Indiana Fire Academy |
4 |
|
2 |
33 |
Houston Dynamo |
Andrew Samuels |
Maryland |
Chargers Soccer Club |
2 |
|
2 |
34 |
Montreal Impact |
Amar Sejdič |
Maryland |
Real Salt Lake |
1 |
|
2 |
35 |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
Brendan McDonough |
Georgetown |
Charlotte Soccer Academy/Carolina Rapids |
3 |
|
2 |
38 |
Orlando City SC |
Tommy Madden |
Charlotte |
Bethesda SC |
2 |
|
2 |
42 |
Colorado Rapids |
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey |
Connecticut |
Seattle Sounders FC |
3 |
2013-14 U-17/18 West Conf Best XI (Defender) |
2 |
45 |
Sporting Kansas City |
Camden Riley |
Pacific |
Dallas Texans |
1 |
|
2 |
48 |
Atlanta United FC |
Amir Bashti |
Stanford |
San Jose Earthquakes |
4 |
2013-14 U-15/16 West Conf Best XI (Midfielder) |
3 |
50 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
Nathan Aune |
Seattle |
Crossfire Premier |
3 |
|
3 |
56 |
Houston Dynamo |
Brad Dunwell |
Wake Forest |
Vardar/Chicago Fire |
4 |
2014-15 U-17/18 National Champion (Chicago Fire) |
3 |
59 |
Orlando City SC |
Scott DeVoss |
Denver |
Real Colorado |
3 |
|
3 |
69 |
Sporting Kansas City |
Franky Martinez |
UMass Lowell |
Players Development Academy |
1 |
2013-14 U-17/18 National Champion (PDA) |
3 |
71 |
Portland Timbers |
Francesco Moore |
Indiana |
Chicago Magic |
4 |
2013-14 U-17/18 Central Conf Best XI (Defender) |
3 |
72 |
D.C. United |
Shinya Kadono |
California |
Strikers FC |
3 |
2013-14 U-15/16 West Conf Best XI (Midfielder) |
4 |
75 |
Minnesota United FC |
Kevin Rodriguez |
Northern Illinois |
Houston Dynamo |
1 |
|
4 |
78 |
New York Red Bulls |
Sean McSherry |
Princeton |
NJCSA |
2 |
|
4 |
84 |
New York Red Bulls |
Joey Piatczyc |
West Virginia |
Sporting Kansas City |
4 |
|
4 |
87 |
FC Dallas |
Sam Ebstein |
California |
San Jose Earthquakes |
1 |