The 2015 MLS SuperDraft is here. The 20 MLS teams (one more than last season, with the additions of New York City FC and Orlando City, as well as the disappearance of Chivas USA) will add the newest players to their roster as they try to find the next Omar Gonzalez, Dom Dwyer or Chad Marshall.
MLS Draft 2015: Time, order, picks and live stream
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The draft is not nearly as important as it used to be. Years ago, the draft used to be the only way for teams to acquire young players and their primary method of finding, signing and developing young talent. Now, many of the top prospects in the country are coming up in MLS teams’ academies and are being signed as homegrown players.
Still, not all of the best young players are being signed as homegrown players or are even eligible to sign homegrown deals. A year ago, D.C. United selected Steve Birnbaum, who was a starter in their central defense as they posted the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference, while FC Dallas got Tesho Akindele, who scored nine goals, won MLS Rookie of the Year and is in camp with the United States national team now.
The top two selections in the draft go to the two expansion teams. That means Orlando City will pick first and NYCFC are second, while the Montreal Impact are third after finishing with the worst record in the league last season.
First round order
1. Orlando City SC
2. New York City FC
3. Montreal Impact
4. San Jose Earthquakes
5. Portland Timbers (via Colorado)
6. Toronto FC (via Chivas)
7. Chicago Fire
8. Houston Dynamo
9. Toronto FC
10. Sporting Kansas City (via Philadelphia)
11. Toronto FC (via Portland)
12. Sporting Kansas City
13. Vancouver Whitecaps
14. Columbus Crew
15. FC Dallas
16. Real Salt Lake
17. D.C. United
18. New York Red Bulls
19. Colorado Rapids (via Seattle, to Toronto, to Dallas)
20. Sporting Kansas City (via New England)
21. LA Galaxy
The draft is four rounds long, however only the first two rounds are conducted on January 15. It all gets underway at 12:30 p.m. ET from the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA and while it will not be televised, it will be streamed on YouTube.
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