FanSided MLS
·22. Dezember 2024
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Yahoo sportsFanSided MLS
·22. Dezember 2024
Last year’s MLS SuperDraft picks yielded one emerging contributor to success for Orlando City SC. This year’s four picks promise an even greater result. Two of the picks come from Clemson University.
The Lions picked midfielder Joran Gerbet from Clemson first – 27th pick overall. The French native started 76 times in 78 appearances in his college career, starting with Oregon State. He scored 12 goals, adding 15 assists.
Gerbet was ACC Midfielder of the Year and First Team-ACC in 2024. He was the 2022 PAC-12 Player of the Year, All PAC-12 First Team, and PAC-12 Freshman of the Year at Oregon State.
Defender Titus Sandy Jr. also comes from Clemson. He played all four years with the university. There he had 24 starts in 48 appearances, playing 2,500 minutes and tallying four assists. He was on the 2023 Academic All-ACC Team.
Both Sandy and Gerbet contributed to Clemson’s 2023 National Championship.
Forward Collins Oduro is picked for the Lions from Indiana University. There he started 41 of his 44 appearances, scoring eight goals plus seven assists. He’s a sophomore with just two seasons under his belt.
He contributed to the Hoosiers’ 2023 Big Ten regular season Championship and Tournament titles. He made the Big Ten All-Freshman team in that championship year.
Finally, Orlando City picked defender Takahiro Fujita from Marshall University. In his freshman and sophomore years, he started 27 times in 40 matches. He scored one goal plus four assists. Significantly, he was part of a backline in 2023 that earned 12 clean sheets and pushed their team to the 2024 NCAA Men’s College Cup.
What has Orlando City done in the SuperDraft?
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission orders that all prospective financial communications must include the disclaimer that past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. This also describes how the MLS SuperDraft works.
Orlando City SC v Sporting Kansas City | Bill Barrett/ISI Photos/GettyImages
From the previous year’s SuperDraft, the team has declined an option to keep the first pick, midfielder Jeorgio Kocevski. Midfielder Filip Mirkovic had a brief time with the club. He then went to Charlotte FC where he is on the roster of their MLS NEXT Pro team Crown Legacy FC.
A third pick, Yutaro Tsukada, has fared well in the organization. He is under contract through 2025 and Orlando City SC is holding onto options for him through 2027.
The organization is watching his development closely. He made three appearances with the first team. He got in solid work in 2024 with Orlando City B, scoring four goals plus four assists in 12 starts.
He earned a contract with the first team, where he will finish his development. That finish will come in 2025. Orlando City SC will need him up front for a competitive season.