PDL NEWS RELEASE: TAMPA, Fla. – The first two rounds of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft took place Thursday from the NSCAA Convention in Baltimore, and 28 PDL alumni were selected in the first two rounds.

Defender Joshua Yaro of the PDL’s Baltimore Bohemians was the highest PDL pick at No. 2 overall to the Philadelphia Union, who traded for the Colorado Rapids’ original selection. Four of the first five selections and 75 percent of the first-round selections (15 of 20) competed in the PDL.

“On behalf of the PDL, I want to congratulate the PDL alumni who were selected in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft,” PDL Director Todd Eason said. “The growing trend of former players making this transition reaffirms our role as the best platform to complete their professional paths. Moving forward, we look to challenge future generations so they too can experience this moment in their soccer careers.”

The focal point of the early selections was Philadelphia’s attention to the defensive end, with Yaro as the second overall pick and Keegan Rosenberry of Reading United AC selected one position later.

“It means a lot to me. [There are a] lot of players out there and a lot of good players,” Yaro said following his selection by the Union at the Baltimore Convention Center. “Giving me this opportunity, they trust me and I really value that. They’re an organization I’ve grown to know. I’ve grown to know the coaches a lot. It’s a place I’ll be able to work well with the coaches and flourish as a player.”

The third and fourth rounds of the MLS SuperDraft take place Tuesday via conference call.

2016 MLS SuperDraft’s PDL selections

(Overall Pick No./Name/Position/College/PDL team(s)/MLS team)

First Round

2. Joshua Yaro, D, Georgetown/Baltimore Bohemians (Philadelphia Union)

3. Keegan Rosenberry, D, Georgetown/Reading United AC (Philadelphia Union)

4. Brandon Vincent, D, Stanford/Portland Timbers U-23s & Ventura County Fusion (Chicago Fire)

5. Omar Holness, MF, North Carolina/Portland Timbers U-23s (Real Salt Lake)

8. Andrew Tarbell, GK, Clemson/PDL alum (San Jose Earthquakes)

10. Jordan McCrary, D, North Carolina/Carolina Dynamo & Reading United AC (New England Revolution)

11. Julian Buescher, M, Syracuse/K-W United FC (D.C. United)

12. Jonathan Campbell, D, North Carolina/Sounders FC U23 (Chicago Fire)

13. Hadji Barry, M/F, Central Florida/Orlando City U-23 (Orlando City SC)

14. Kyle Fisher, D, Clemson/Portland Timbers U-23s & Orlando City U-23 (Montreal Impact)

15. Emmanuel Appiah, M, Cincinnati/GPS Portland Phoenix (Colorado Rapids)

16. Cole Seiler, D, Georgetown/Baltimore Bohemians (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

17. Ryan Herman, GK, Washington/Sounders FC U23 (FC Dallas)

18. Justin Bilyeu, D, SIU-Edwardsville/FC Tucson (New York Red Bulls)

20. Ben Polk, F, Syracuse/K-W United FC (Portland Timbers)

Second Round

21. Chase Minter, M, Cal Poly/Des Moines Menace & Ventura County Fusion (Columbus Crew SC)

23. Taylor Washington, D, George Mason/D.C. United U-23 (Philadelphia Union)

24. Michael Salazar, F, UC-Riverside/OC Blues U-23 (Montreal Impact)

27. Tony Alfaro, D, Cal State-Dominguez Hills/Ventura County Fusion (Seattle Sounders FC)

29. Christopher Hellmann, F, Lynn/Des Moines Menace (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

30. Michael Gamble, F, Wake Forest/Baltimore Bohemians (New England Revolution)

32. Paul Clowes, M, Clemson/Orlando City U23 (D.C. United)

35. Zach Mathers, M, Duke/OC Blues U-23 (Seattle Sounders FC)

36. Thomas Sanner, F, Princeton/Reading United AC & OC Blues U-23 (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

37. Dennis Castillo, D, Virginia Commonwealth/Portland Timbers U-23s (Colorado Rapids)

38. Zach Carroll, D, Michigan State/Michigan Bucks (New York Red Bulls)

39. Keegan Smith, F, San Diego/OC Blues U-23 (Montreal Impact)

40. Neco Brett, F, Robert Morris/Reading United AC (Portland Timbers)