When people lament that Minnesota United only have two picks in January 11th’s MLS SuperDraft—the 7th and 31st overall—it’s worth assessing some facts. 2018’s draft produced nine players after the first round whose options were picked up for 2019. There are eight from the latter three rounds of the 2017 draft who survived cut day this year. There are three players from the 2016 draft who will be in the league next year total.
The impact that the draft produced last year—a fairly average one, at that—was low. The 23 players picked in the first round of the SuperDraft last year averaged 413 minutes in the league last season.