Running down the Dispersal Draft

Here’s one man’s take on the seven players selected in the MLS Dispersal Draft via a conference call Wednesday:

DAN KENNEDY, GOALKEEPER (FC DALLAS). Since striker Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres was held out of the Dispersal Draft while MLS negotiates a permanent transfer from Guadalajara, which loaned him to MLS, the veteran keeper figured to go first.

Even with Peruvian international Raul Fernandez and former U.S. youth international Chris Seitz already on the roster, this pick is a no-brainer. Kennedy is probably best of the three, so FCD gets an upgrade in the nets if he stays. If not, he should command decent value in a trade, and his competitive spirit and infectious enthusiasm will play well wherever he lands.

MATTHEW DUNN, MIDFIELDER (NEW YORK CITY FC). Didn’t get much playing time but obviously NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis passed on several other players to get him, so there’s something in his game that stands out. He played seven games (four starts) and in 407 minutes of action logged one assist.

THOMAS McNAMARA, ATTACKER (D.C. UNITED). He showed great promise in the six games he played before a knee injury ended his season. He has a good sense of time and space in and around the penalty area, is adept at combination play, and isn’t afraid to shoot. A full recovery could pan out very well for D.C., but not yet defined is where he should play. The forward/attacker ranks at United are already a bit crowded.

DANNY TOIA, DEFENDER (MONTREAL). This is another shrewd pick. Playing on both corners of the back line, Toia displayed the necessary workrate and athletic prowess to succeed. The product of the RSL-Arizona youth system has only one pro season under his belt (27 games, 24 starts) so there’s considerable upside to his game. The Impact is just one of several teams that have issues at outside back heading into the offseason.

CALEB CALVERT, FORWARD (COLORADO). He’s yet to play a minute at the pro level. The 18-year-old Homegrown player was Chivas USA’s youngest-ever signing when he joined the team in July of last year at age 16. By scoring 22 goals in 27 games for Chivas USA’s youth team he was named the U.S. Soccer Development Academy's U-16 National Player of the Year. He's the enigma of this group.

KRISTOPHER TYRPAK, FORWARD (SAN JOSE). He scored a goal and registered an assist in just 156 minutes of play that were spread out over nine games, two of which I saw. He looked great dancing through several Rapids to score that goal and pretty much lost in the other one. Head coach Dominic Kinnear saw him play at Houston Baptist and Trypak was USL Pro Player of the Year in 2013 with Austin Aztex.

MARCO DELGADO, MIDFIELDER/DEFENDER (TORONTO FC). TFC head coach Greg Vanney was a Chivas USA assistant when the club signed Delgado in April 2012, as a Homegrown player at age 16 years, 10 months. His pro debut a few months later against Vancouver was his only appearance that season; he played 16 games in 2013 and in 2014 scored two goals in 20 appearances. Like most of the players picked, he’s young (19) and has been brought up in a development system that has proven it can find talented players if not necessarily meld them into a successful MLS team.

Teams selecting these players are obligated to pick up their options at the 2015 salaries stipulated in the players’ contracts. Players not selected in the Dispersal Draft can opt to enter the Re-Entry Draft if eligible. Others will be available in a Waiver Draft to be held Dec. 10.