FC Cincinnati selects UCLA’s Frankie Amaya with top pick in MLS SuperDraft
ESPN.com | Jeff Carlisle, U.S. Soccer Correspondant | Jan. 11, 2019
Expansion side FC Cincinnati selected UCLA midfielder Frankie Amaya No. 1 overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft on Friday.
Amaya, 18, is the youngest player in the draft, but his upside is such that he’s expected to adapt well to the professional game, even in a central playmaking role that is usually the domain of foreign players.
The Generation Adidas player spent just one season at UCLA, making 14 appearances, 10 of them starts, while scoring two goals and adding two assists.
However, it was with the U.S. Under-20 team that the Santa Anna, California, native has drawn the most attention, helping the U.S. qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup late last year.