The New York Red Bulls entered Tuesday’s Supplemental Draft badly in need of depth everywhere but up top. And that’s exactly what they came away with.
They took local product Ryan Clark from Monmouth (above), who can play left back and left midfield, with the first pick of the Supplemental Draft, then Boston University’s Michael Bustamante later in the first round, and added Providence winger Marc Cintron in the second round. All three had made regular appearances in mock SuperDrafts from last week, and all three have a real shot at sticking on a team that’s spread thin in the midst of an offseason overhaul.
They also added defensive midfielders Ben Fisk (Washington) and Andrew Ribiero (Creighton), both of whom put in uneven performances at the MLS Combine on the heels of stellar college careers, as well as central midfielder Stephane Diop of Connecticut.
Supplemental Draft: Pick-by-Pick
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, Toronto FC kept up their shrewd draft day ways, grabbing Ashton Bennett – a Jamaican forward with Canadian residency who scored twice in three Combine games – and midfielder Jose Gomez of Creighton. Gomez was a finalist for this year’s Hermann Trophy and earlier in the year had been as high as No. 2 overall on some draft boards, but struggled in both the College Cup and the Combine.
The Reds also picked up Nik Robson of New Mexico and hulking forward Taylor Morgan of George Mason. Robson, all 6-foot-4 of him, is from England and would take up an international slot should he make the final roster. Robson, from New Zealand, would require the same.
The pick of the litter last year’s Supplemental Draft was Andy Rose, who eventually made his way to Seattle after being taken by RSL on draft day. Sigi Schmid will try to double his luck with this year’s crop, which includes center forward Will Bates of Virginia and midfielder Kevin Durr of the Air Force Academy.
READ: RBNY draft pick Clark a fitness freak
The nation’s leading scorer, Chris Thomas of Elon, went in the second round to New England. The Revs used their first round pick on Jossimar Sanchez of Connecticut, who missed the second half of his senior season after breaking his leg in October. The midfielder, according to UConn head coach Ray Reid, is expected to make a full recovery.
Sanchez was one of three Connecticut players selected. The others were Diop and right back Max Wasserman (No. 69, Real Salt Lake).
“Mr. Irrelevant,” the final player taken, was attacker Yannick Smith of Old Dominion, who went to Houston at No. 75. The LA Galaxy passed with the final pick.
In total there were 67 players selected in Tuesday's Supplemental Draft.
