Major League Soccer SuperDraft 2018 is in the books and the New York Red Bulls came away with five new players.
The Red Bulls selected Brian White, Niko De Vera, Tom Barlow, Jared Stroud and Jose Aguinaga with the five picks in the SuperDraft.
Three of the five players -- White, Stroud, Aguinaga -- all played on the Red Bulls' Under-23 Premier Development League team in 2017.
Jesse Marsch said that familiarity helped them end up back with the team.
"White is a guy that we know well," Marsch said of the first-round pick, White. "He has been with our PDL team for two years, MVP of that league last year and leading scorer. He is from New Jersey and knows the club and knows what we are about. We were excited that he was available when we were selecting. Now we will implement him into our group on a professional level."
De Vera already is drawing comparisons to current Red Bulls defender Connor Lade.
"He is a smaller left back, but we have been looking for a left-footed left back to develop," Marsch said. "We think that he is athletic, he can run, he is aggressive, he is smart. So, we think that there is real potential for him to be a good fit."
De Vera said, after being selected, that he brings a lot of physical play to the game, but also has more of a "psychological type" of play.
Barlow, the team's third-round pick, wasn't invited to the MLS Combine, though Marsch said he probably should have.
"He is a guy that can run a lot, has a good work rate, he is athletic, he is tall, but not just a target forward he has mobility, cleverness and the ability to score goals," Marsch said.
On the second day of the SuperDraft, New York selected two players in the course of three picks: Stroud and Aguinaga.
“This is an exciting day for both Jared and Jose, and we are pleased to welcome them to the club,” Sporting Director Denis Hamlett said. “Giving young players opportunities is a key part of our philosophy. We are familiar with both of these players from our Under-23 team, and we look forward to getting them into our professional environment so they can continue to develop their game and take the first steps in their careers.”
The journey to the first team begins on Monday, as Red Bulls travel to Florida as preseason gets underway.
"It's always exciting with young players to give them the chance to be good pros," Marsch said.
