Sporting Kansas City announced Wednesday that the club has acquired Orlando City SC’s natural fourth-round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft from Orlando City SC in exchange for the College Protected Priority on defender Tony Rocha.
Sporting Kansas City selected Rocha with the 73rd overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The University of Tulsa product trained with the club during the 2015 preseason before joining the Austin Aztex, where he made 25 USL appearances last year.
Rocha, now 23, moved to Orlando City B ahead of the 2016 USL season but still remained on Sporting Kansas City’s College Protected List. Unless claimed on waivers, a player who was drafted by a particular team through the SuperDraft and did not sign with MLS is placed on that team’s “College Protected List” until Dec. 31 of the year after the draft, after which the team loses the priority to sign the player.
Wednesday’s transaction gives Orlando City SC the priority to sign Rocha in exchange for a fourth-round draft selection in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) acquires Orlando City SC’s natural fourth-round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft from Orlando City SC in exchange for the College Protected Priority on defender Tony Rocha.
