The MLS offseason is in full swing as Toronto FC are beginning their rebuild by selecting forward Tyrese Spicer with the first overall pick in then 2023 MLS SuperDraft. Able to play anywhere in a front three, the Lipscomb forward is coming off of a season during which he scored 14 goals in only 16 appearances while being named as a United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American.
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Toronto only won four games last season finishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and they’ll now look to improve under head coach John Herdman while Spicer will play a large role in that. From Trinidad and Tobago, being able to play at Lipscomb was a huge opportunity for Spicer and one that he ran with in a big way. Spicer was aware that Toronto was a team that was interested in him as he had discussions with the head coach and assistant coach prior to the draft but the moment of being picked is a surreal experience and one that delighted the 23-year-old while surprising many.
“I just want to say hello to the Toronto fans. Tyrese Spicer is coming to do big things,” the forward said on CBS Sports Golazo Network show Scoreline following the draft.
It’s a statement that shows that Spicer is ready for the pressure that he will feel but he’s also excited to move to Toronto to experience the culture and also push to make enough of an impact to make the Trinidad and Tobago national team. Spicer also has dreams of eventually playing in Europe which Major League Soccer is a good first step for.
Spicer also wasn’t the only Lipscomb forward to be drafted in the top 10 of the MLS SuperDraft as Malachi Jones was drafted eighth overall by New York City FC. Now while the duo won’t be on the same team, they’ll be plying their trade as rivals in the Eastern Conference. It shows how far a young player can come as this certainly wasn’t an easy journey to become a pro for Spicer, reflecting on his time as a youth player.
“When I started in Trinidad in high school, I wasn’t the best. I wasn’t the most technical, the strongest, the fastest. I think over the years there were particular coaches in my life. I would have to say my dad because he coached me in school and a guy called Mr. Work who coached me at internationals,” Spicer said. “They helped me develop my game because I was really one-dimensional. I think over the years, they took me under their wing and really guided me. My coach from nationals used to put me in to play against U17’s when I was 14 to work on my mental toughness and everything.
“There were times that I struggled, honestly, sometimes I didn’t have food. Sometimes I wouldn’t have money to go to school and that impacted my life a little bit, but I overcame that and I got the opportunity to go to Lipscomb, and the coach there, Charles Morrow, really helped me out. He took me and guided me and like helped me direct myself on the right path to where I’m at right now to be able to even get this opportunity right here. ”
It’s quite a story of perseverance for Spicer and one that shows his mentality that shined through to Toronto when he was selected by the team. Everything has now come full circle with him being selected as the number one overall pick in what is only the start of the next chapter of his journey, aiming to get Toronto back to the top.
First round
Pick | Team | Player | College | Position |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Toronto FC |
Tyrese Spicer |
Lipscomb |
Forward |
2 |
Colorado Rapids |
Wayne Frederick |
Duke |
Midfielder |
3 |
FC Dallas |
Logan Farrington |
Oregon State |
Forward |
4 |
Colorado Rapids |
Kimani Stwart-Baynes |
University of Maryland |
Forward |
5 |
Austin FC |
Nate Jones |
Washington |
Defender |
6 |
Chicago Fire |
Bryan Dowd |
Notre Dame |
Goalkeeper |
7 |
D.C. United |
Jacob Murrell |
Georgetown |
Forward |
8 |
New York City FC |
Malachi Jones |
Lipscomb |
Forward |
9 |
Minnesota United |
Hugo Bacharach |
Indiana University |
Defender |
10 |
CF Montreal |
Grayson Doody |
UCLA |
Defender |
11 |
Nashville SC |
Wyatt Meyer |
UC Berkeley |
Defender |
12 |
New York Red Bulls |
Aidan O’Connor |
University of Virginia |
Defender |
13 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
Jamar Ricketts |
Cal State Northridge |
Defender |
14 |
Charlotte FC |
Tyger Smalls |
Loyola Marymount |
Forward |
15 |
Inter Miami |
Yannick Bright |
University of New Hampshire |
Midfielder |
16 |
Real Salt Lake |
Matthew Bell |
Marshall |
Forward |
17 |
St. Louis City SC |
Hosi Kijima |
Wake Forest |
Midfielder |
18 |
Real Salt Lake |
Jose “Kevin” Bonilla |
University of Portland |
Defender |
19 |
Atlanta United |
Jayden Hibbert |
University of Connecticut |
Goalkeeper |
20 |
Minnesota United |
Marcus Calderia |
West Virginia |
Forward |
21 |
Orlando City SC |
Jeorgio Kocvski |
Syracuse |
Midfielder |
22 |
Sporting Kansas City |
Ryan Schewe |
Georgetown |
Goalkeeper |
23 |
Seattle Sounders |
Kalani Kossa-Rienzi |
Washington |
Midfielder |
24 |
Inter Mami |
Ryan Carmichael |
Hofstra |
Forward |
25 |
Orlando City SC |
Yutaro Tsukada |
West Virginia |
Midfielder |
26 |
Houston Dynamo |
Stephen Annor Gyamfi |
Virginia |
Forward |
27 |
FC Cincinatti |
Brian Schaefer |
University of South Florida |
Defender |
28 |
Los Angeles FC |
Jackson Lee |
West Virginia |
Goalkeeper |
29 |
Columbus Crew |
Jayden Da |
Duquesne |
Forward |