Timbers trade first round pick, select two players in 2024 MLS SuperDraft
After getting a slice of GAM from Nashville, Portland selected two players from the college ranks.
The MLS SuperDraft, which appears to be getting just a bit smaller in relevance and grandeur each year, has come and gone. The Portland Timbers selected two players in the second and third rounds of the 2024 edition, and traded their first pick for a bit of General Allocation Money.
The Timbers entered the day with picks 11, 40, and 69, but in the minutes before the draft begun it was announced that they traded the pick to Nashville SC for $125K GAM, split between 2024 and 2025.
Without a first round pick, the Timbers brain trust of technical director Jack Dodd, assistant coach Miles Joseph, and Timber2 coach Shannon Murray had to wait a bit before they made their selections. When they did, they selected two forwards from the college ranks.
With pick number 40 in the second round, the Timbers selected Kyle Linhares from Georgetown University. Linhares, 21, played primarily as a winger for the Hoyas and made 76 appearances in his four-year collegiate career. He recorded a career high five goals scored in his senior season in 2023, and also added in four assists.
In the third round, Portland selected forward Gage Guerra with the 69th pick in the draft. Guerra, a junior at the University of Louisville, scored seven goals in 13 appearances in the 2023 season. Guerra started his collegiate career at the alma mater of current Timbers player Zac McGraw, Army, and scored 15 goals in his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Black Knights.
“We are pleased with the outcome of this draft, as our goal was to maximize a return with our first pick, while still adding a few prospects with long-term potential,” said Timbers General Manager Ned Grabavoy. “We are focused on finalizing a few key pieces this offseason and are excited to get our preseason underway in the coming weeks.”
Between the two players, Linhares will join Portland’s preseason training camp with the hopes of earning a first team deal. Based on when he was selected and Portland’s track record with development, Linhares will almost assuredly be added to Murray’s T2 roster for the 2024 MLS Next Pro season regardless.
Guerra is a slightly different case. Since he still has one more year of college eligibility, he could technically still decide to return to school for one more season. Portland will hold his MLS rights, so when or if he decides to go pro and join MLS he will have a shot to join Portland’s roster.
You can read Portland’s press release on their 2024 SuperDraft selections here.
Since there's not many new Timbers posts these days, I'm just gonna dump this here even though it's off-topic: Caleb Porter has a job again. He's the new coach of the Revolution.
As much as I didn't want him back here, I'm glad he's got a gig and hopefully he can do good things.
As much as the optimist in me says "there's bigger moves yet to come, it's not even January yet", the skeptic in me says "why do I have the feeling this GAM acquisition is one of a series of around-the-edges moves that the FO is going to make and call it good".
I hope they can turn that GAM into something good, but my breath, it's not holding.