We are happy with what we accomplished in the SuperDraft this year and today we were able to select two players that we envision to have the type of upside potential to help our club. – Real Salt Lake Technical Director Craig Waibel
SANDY — Real Salt Lake drafted defender Jordan Murrell and midfielder Lucas Baldin in Round 3 and Round 4, respectively, of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft Tuesday via conference call.
Murrell was chosen with the 57th pick and Baldin with the 77th pick.
“We are happy with what we accomplished in the SuperDraft this year and today we were able to select two players that we envision to have the type of upside potential to help our club," said Real Salt Lake Technical Director Craig Waibel in a press release Tuesday. “Murrell is talented left sided defender that can play multiple positions. He has a very high soccer IQ and we are looking forward to having his physical presence and steady play in our back line.
"Baldin can play different roles in the attacking half of the field. He is clean on the ball and will add another goal-dangerous option to our attack."
Murrell, a 5-foot-10 defender from Syracuse University, was born in the United Kingdom and later moved to Ontario, Canada, where he played club soccer for Toronto FC’s Academy team as well the U-18 Canadian National Team.
At Syracuse, Murrell was named All-Big East Third Team in 2012 as well as the winner of the 2013 Syracuse Men's Soccer Coaches' Award for courage. He led the Orange in assists his sophomore to senior year. Hee recorded five goals and 20 assists in four seasons at Syracuse, starting in all 74 of his appearances at the New York university.
Lucas Baldin, a 5-8 midfielder from the University of South Florida, was born in Brazil and lived in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, and represented Mexico in Germany’s Berlin Games. Baldin played for Toluca's U-20 team and Cruz Azul's U-17 team in Mexico before attending USF. He had a stellar season in his senior season at USF, scoring five goals and registering nine assists in 20 matches. He totaled 10 goals and nine assists in 59 matches at Southern Florida.
Last week, RSL drafted defender Boyd Okwuonu in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft as well as signed Brazilian midfielder Wellington “Pecka” Paeckart from the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League.
RSL opens training camp Friday before hosting an open house Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium from 1-4 p.m. On Monday, the team will travel to Casa Grande, Arizona, for the first leg of training camp.
Xoel CÀrdenas, M.A. is a sports writer with the Deseret News: Sports. Xoel is also a columnist at SB Nation, the biggest sports blog site in the country, where he covers FC Barcelona. Follow him on Twitter @XoelCardenas