Toronto FC pick Tyrese Spicer first overall in MLS SuperDraft

12/19/2023 4:32:03 PM EST

Toronto FC selected Lipscomb forward Tyrese Spicer with the first overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft on Tuesday.

Spicer, 23, finished his college career with 29 goals and 18 assists over 57 matches. He was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year in 2023 after leading the nation in goals per game (14 goals in 16 appearances).

A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Spicer will go down as Toronto FC's first No. 1 overall pick since 2007.

"Tyrese possesses a unique combination of technical and physical qualities that align with our player profile and tactical blueprint," Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez said in a statement. "He also has a resilient mindset and a drive to improve, which makes him a great fit for TFC. We look forward to working with Tyrese to accelerate his growth as a player and person while helping us achieve our goals as a club."

Spicer said the league had better watch out for his speed on the pitch.

"I have an ability to just blow past defenders," Spicer said in an interview on the draft broadcast. "I'm very confident in my abilities and I think Toronto trusts my abilities as well, and I think I could come in there and have a big impact in Toronto."

The Colorado Rapids held the second and fourth picks and drafted Duke midfielder Wayne Frederick and Maryland forward Kimani Stewart-Baynes, respectively.

FC Dallas traded into the third overall pick in a deal with Inter Miami and chose Oregon State forward Logan Farrington.

Austin FC rounded out the top five by selecting Washington defender Nate Jones. The first goalkeeper off the board was Notre Dame's Bryan Dowd, sixth overall to the Chicago Fire, and D.C. United stayed local by picking Georgetown forward Jacob Murrell seventh.

Spicer's Lipscomb teammate, forward Malachi Jones, went eighth to Sporting Kansas City. Rounding out the top 10 were Indiana defender Hugo Bacharach to Minnesota United and UCLA defender Grayson Doody to CF Montreal.

The draft featured 87 total selections over three rounds. The full first round is below:

1. Toronto: Tyrese Spicer, F, Lipscomb
2. Colorado: Wayne Frederick, M, Duke
3. Dallas: Logan Farrington, F, Oregon State
4. Colorado: Kimani Stewart-Baynes, F, Maryland
5. Austin: Nate Jones, D, Washington
6. Chicago: Bryan Dowd, G, Notre Dame
7. D.C.: Jacob Murrell, F, Georgetown
8. New York City: Malachi Jones, F, Lipscomb
9. Minnesota: Hugo Bacharach, D, Indiana
10. Montreal: Grayson Doody, D, UCLA
11. Nashville: Wyatt Meyer, D, Cal
12. New York Red Bulls: Aidan O'Connor, D, Virginia
13. San Jose: Jamar Ricketts, D, Cal State Northridge
14. Charlotte: Tyger Smalls, F, Loyola Marymount
15. Miami: Yannick Bright, M, New Hampshire
16. Salt Lake: Matthew Bell, F, Marshall
17. St. Louis: Hosei Kijima, M, Wake Forest
18. Salt Lake: Jose (Kevin) Bonilla, D, Portland
19. Atlanta: Jayden Hibbert, G, UConn
20. Minnesota: Marcus Caldeira, F, West Virginia
21. Orlando: Jeorgio Kocevski, M, Syracuse
22. Kansas City: Ryan Schewe, G, Georgetown
23. Seattle: Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, M, Washington
24. Miami: Ryan Carmichael, F, Hofstra
25. Orlando: Yutaro Tsukada, M, West Virginia
26. Houston: Stephen Annor Gyamfi, F, Virginia
27. Cincinnati: Brian Schaefer, D, South Florida
28. LAFC: Jackson Lee, G, West Virginia
29. Columbus: Jayden Da, F, Duquesne

--Field Level Media

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