In what has been overshadowed by the San Jose Earthquakes collection of four selections in the recent MLS SuperDraft, all exciting prospects but all unsigned heading into preseason, is the acquisition of midfielder Eric Calvillo.
Just 20 years old and and with extensive experience within the ranks of U.S. youth national team soccer, Calvillo eschewed college and signed his first professional contract, with the NASL’s New York Cosmos, when he was 18. He struggled to find playing time in his rookie season, but his patience paid off, and by last summer, he was a mainstay in the Cosmos midfielder en-route to the team’s runner-up finish in the league’s championship match.