Real Salt Lake adds cash via MLS SuperDraft pick

SANDY — When all was said and done, Real Salt Lake’s No. 10 pick wasn’t high enough.

Salt Lake’s Major League Soccer club traded away its first-round pick Thursday at the 2018 MLS SuperDraft to Chicago Fire, receiving $85,000 in general allocation money in exchange for the rights that became Syracuse midfielder Mo Adams.

The move highlighted a day of wheeling-and-dealing for all MLS clubs, and also emphasized RSL’s increasing lack of interest in the draft for college players.

RSL’s draft day began more than a month ago, when the club signed academy product Aaron Herrera after the 20-year-old defender spent three seasons at the University of New Mexico, according to head coach Mike Petke. Herrera was joined by fellow homegrown signing Corey Baird, from Stanford, on Jan. 5.

"We feel that we got our No. 1 and No. 2 pick already," Petke told MLS' draft-day livestream. "Aaron Herrera, who we got as a homegrown, is a top-three pick in the draft this year. Corey Baird is a first-round draft pick. We were looking for one or two players whom if they fell through to us, we would’ve taken.

"For us, it’s about getting a little more money in general allocation money and we’re very happy with Corey Baird and Aaron Herrera."

Baird became RSL’s 15th homegrown player signing in club history when he finalized his contract Jan. 5 following four years at Stanford. The 21-year-old forward scored 16 goals with 28 assists in 77 matches for the Cardinal, winning three NCAA College Cup titles.

In Salt Lake, Baird joins former academy products Danny Acosta, Jordan Allen, Justen Glad, Jose Hernandez, Brooks Lennon and Bofo Saucedo.

"I’ll be playing with a lot of guys I was playing with then, so it will be good to get back on the field with them," Baird said in a team announcement last month. "I’m going to be working my hardest all the time for an opportunity on the field while trying to contribute as many goals and assists as I can."

Both Herrera and Baird will have opportunities to play significant time as rookies in 2018, Petke confirmed. But they have to earn it, he added.

"They earn it by showing up every day and showing that they are the best player at that position. It’s not rocket science; it’s as simple as that," Petke said. "In our case, we feel that they can come in and compete. They're definitely big players for us in the future."

The club has also focused on re-signing several key players from the 2017 squad, beginning with Venezuelan forward Jefferson Savarino to former Liverpool winger Brooks Lennon to club icons Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando.

A source has confirmed to KSL.com that Rimando, who has not been announced as re-signing with the club after entering free agency in December, is on the verge of returning to the club.

The team has also added a few international players, such as Welsh international and former Premier League right back Adam Henley from Blackburn Rovers.

Expansion side Los Angeles FC selected Akron defender Joao Moutinho with the top pick, then immediately traded with DC United to jump back into the top-three and take Pacific defender Tristan Blackmon. The move was one of six trades in the draft’s first 10 selections, including RSL’s draft-day swap with the Fire.

With the 10th pick in the second round (No. 30 overall), Salt Lake added Creighton midfielder Ricky Lopez-Espin.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound midfielder projects as a center forward at the next level. A Miami native and all-Big East selection in his final two seasons at Creighton, Lopez-Espin scored 19 goals with five assists for the Jays, even while missing time early in his career with a knee injury.

Real Salt Lake also holds the Nos. 51, 56 and 79 picks in the SuperDraft's third and fourth rounds, which will be held Jan. 21 via conference call.

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