Thursday's MLS SuperDraft action got off to an early start as the Portland Timbers sent well-traveled forward Mike Fucito down the West Coast to San Jose for the Earthquakes' second-round pick (No. 34 overall) in the draft.
The Quakes now have the right of first refusal to Fucito and may negotiate a contract.
Fucito, 26, joined the Timbers via trade from the Montreal Impact on April 20, 2012, and appeared in 12 games (three starts) for Portland during the 2012 MLS regular season. The four-year MLS veteran has played 36 career regular-season matches for Seattle Sounders FC (2009-11), Montreal (2012) and Portland (2012), recording three goals and two assists.
“Mike is a hard-working player and a first-class professional, and we wish him all the best,” Timbers GM Gavin Wilkinson said in a statement.
The second-round pick from San Jose is the Timbers’ only pick in the 2013 SuperDraft. As part of a trade with Chivas USA on Dec. 12, 2012, for the No. 2 spot in the MLS allocation order, Portland offered either a second-round draft pick in the 2013 SuperDraft if it acquired one or an international slot for the 2013 season (through Dec. 31, 2013). Chivas USA elected to receive the international slot.
The Earthquakes still hold two picks in the SuperDraft, one in the first round (No. 15) and another in the second (No. 33).
