2017 MLS SuperDraft

The 2017 MLS SuperDraft will be the eighteenth SuperDraft conducted by Major League Soccer. The SuperDraft is held each year in conjunction with the annual National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention. The 2017 SuperDraft will be held in Los Angeles, California on January 13, 2017 as part of the NSCAA 2017 convention. ^[1]

Format

The SuperDraft format has remained constant throughout its history and closely resembles that of the NFL Draft:

1. Any expansion teams receive the first picks. MLS has announced that Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC will begin play in 2017. As determined by a "Priority Draft" conducted on October 16, 2016, Minnesota will have the first overall selection and Atlanta will pick second.^[2]
2. Non-playoff clubs receive the next picks in reverse order of prior season finish.
3. Teams that made the MLS Cup Playoffs are then ordered by which round of the playoffs they are eliminated.
4. The winners of the MLS Cup are given the last selection, and the losers the penultimate selection.

Player Selection

Round 1

Any player marked with a * is part of the Generation Adidas program.

Round 1 trades

• Round 1 (conditional), Toronto FC → Colorado Rapids. January 18, 2016: Colorado Rapids acquired a conditional first-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft, a third-round selection in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, and targeted allocation money from Toronto FC in exchange for goalkeeper Clint Irwin.^{[ref 4]}

Round 2

Any player marked with a * is part of the Generation Adidas program.

Round 2 trades

• Round 2 (conditional), Toronto FC → Portland Timbers. December 18, 2015: Portland Timbers acquired a conditional second-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft and targeted allocation money from Toronto FC in exchange for midfielder Will Johnson.^{[ref 11]}
• Round 2 (conditional), Houston Dynamo → Toronto FC. March 2, 2016: Toronto FC acquired a conditional second-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from Houston Dynamo in exchange for midfielder Collen Warner.^{[ref 12]}

Round 3

Any player marked with a * is part of the Generation Adidas program.

Round 3 trades

• Round 3 (conditional), Houston Dynamo → Real Salt Lake. February 18, 2016: Real Salt Lake acquired a conditional third-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from Houston Dynamo in exchange for defender Abdoulie Mansally.^{[ref 16]}
• Round 3 (conditional), Portland Timbers → New York City. August 2, 2016: New York City FC acquired a conditional third-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft and targeted allocation money from Portland Timbers in exchange for the MLS rights to defender Gbenga Arokoyo.^{[ref 17]}

Round 4

Any player marked with a * is part of the Generation Adidas program.

Round 4 trades

• Round 4, Orlando City → Real Salt Lake. January 22, 2014: Real Salt Lake acquired a fourth-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from Orlando City in exchange for midfielder Yordany Álvarez. The traded pick is Orlando's lowest fourth-round selection.^{[ref 20]}
• Round 4 (conditional), Orlando City → Toronto FC. December 21, 2015: Toronto FC acquired a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from Orlando City in exchange for goalkeeper Joe Bendik.^{[ref 21]}
• Round 4 (conditional), New York Red Bulls → Orlando City. April 29, 2016: Orlando City acquired a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from New York Red Bulls in exchange for defender Aurélien Collin.^{[ref 22]}

2017 SuperDraft Conditional Trades

• Conditional, New York City → Seattle Sounders. January 23, 2015: Seattle Sounders FC acquired a conditional selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from New York City FC in exchange for the MLS rights to midfielder Kwadwo Poku.^{[ref 23]}
• Conditional, D.C. United → New York Red Bulls. February 15, 2016: New York Red Bulls acquired a conditional selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from D.C. United in exchange for the MLS rights to midfielder Luciano Acosta.^{[ref 24]}

Other 2017 SuperDraft Trade Notes

• On May 4, 2016, Columbus Crew SC acquired a second-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft from Chicago Fire in exchange for the MLS rights to midfielder Khaly Thiam. The traded pick was to be Chicago's natural selection. However, trade terms stated that should Thiam start 12 or more MLS regular-season games in 2016 the SuperDraft pick would be converted to General Allocation Money. Thiam met this threshold and Columbus received General Allocation Money.^{[ref 25]}

2018 SuperDraft Trades

• Round 1, Colorado Rapids → Montreal Impact. February 14, 2016: Montreal Impact acquired a first-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft and general allocation money from Colorado Rapids in exchange for defender Eric Miller. The traded pick is Colorado's natural selection.^{[ref 26]}
• Round 1, Philadelphia Union → New England Revolution. August 3, 2016: New England Revolution acquired a first-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft, general allocation money, and targeted allocation money from Philadelphia Union in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft and forward Charlie Davies. The traded first-round pick is Philadelphia's natural selection.^{[ref 27]}
• Round 2, New England Revolution → Columbus Crew. May 12, 2016: Columbus Crew SC acquired a second-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft, a first-round selection in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, an international roster slot for the 2016 season, general allocation money, and targeted allocation money from New England Revolution in exchange for forward Kei Kamara. The traded draft picks are to be New England's highest selections in those respective rounds. Additionally, Columbus will receive a percentage of any fee received should New England transfer Kamara to a club outside of MLS.^{[ref 1]}
• Round 3, Sporting Kansas City → Houston Dynamo. January 7, 2016: Houston Dynamo acquired a third-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft, a second-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft, and future considerations from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for midfielder Brad Davis. The traded picks are Sporting Kansas City's natural selections.^{[ref 8]}
• Round 3, New England Revolution → Philadelphia Union. August 3, 2016: Philadelphia Union acquired a third-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft and forward Charlie Davies from New England Revolution in exchange for a first-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft, general allocation money, and targeted allocation money. The traded third-round pick is New England's natural selection.^{[ref 27]}
• Round 3 (conditional), Orlando City → FC Dallas. August 4, 2016: FC Dallas acquired a conditional third-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft from Orlando City SC in exchange for the MLS rights to defender Mikey Ambrose.^{[ref 28]}
• Round 4, Orlando City → Sporting Kansas City. August 3, 2016: Sporting Kansas City acquired a fourth-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft from Orlando City SC in exchange for the MLS rights to midfielder Tony Rocha. The traded pick is Orlando City's natural selection.^{[ref 29]}
• Conditional, D.C. United → Colorado Rapids. February 1, 2016: Colorado Rapids acquired a conditional selection in the 2018 SuperDraft and targeted allocation money from D.C. United in exchange for midfielder Marcelo Sarvas.^{[ref 30]}

2019 SuperDraft Trades

• Round 3, D.C. United → Chicago Fire. July 29, 2016: Chicago Fire acquired a third-round selection in the 2019 SuperDraft and targeted allocation money from D.C. United in exchange for forward Kennedy Igboananike. Igboananike will continue to be classified as a Designated Player on Chicago’s roster and budget in 2016 and Chicago will retain a percentage of any future transfer fee if the player is transferred outside of the league in 2016. The traded pick is D.C.'s natural selection.^{[ref 31]}

Future Considerations Trades

MLS clubs sometimes makes trades which include "future considerations", which may or may not prove to be SuperDraft selections. Trades in which a future considerations component has not been publicly resolved, and which could theoretically include a SuperDraft pick, are as follows:

• Houston Dynamo → Philadelphia Union. July 23, 2015: Philadelphia Union acquired future considerations and general allocation money from Houston Dynamo in exchange for defender Sheanon Williams and an international roster slot.^{[ref 32]}
• Portland Timbers → D.C. United. August 6, 2015: D.C. United acquired future considerations, an international roster slot, and targeted allocation money from Portland Timbers in exchange for defender Michael Seaton.^{[ref 33]}
• Sporting Kansas City → Houston Dynamo. January 7, 2016: Houston Dynamo acquired future considerations, a second-round selection in the 2017 SuperDraft, and a third-round selection in the 2018 SuperDraft from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for midfielder Brad Davis. The traded picks are Sporting Kansas City's natural selections.^{[ref 8]}

References