The Seattle Sounders made a three-pack of moves on Tuesday, signing second-round SuperDraft pick Tony Alfaro to an MLS contract, sending defender Damion Lowe on a loan to Minnesota United FC of the NASL and acquiring Targeted Allocation Money and an international roster spot from Toronto FC in exchange for General Allocation Money.
Alfaro, 22, is an American citizen and will not occupy the international slot the club acquired from TFC on Tuesday.
The Sounders drafted the 6-foot-2 center back with the 27th-overall pick in the SuperDraft, their first selection in January’s draft. The Cal State Dominguez Hills product was a Division II NSCAA first-team All-American in 2015.
"We're pleased to add a talented player like Tony to our roster as the 2016 season gets going," Sounders FC general manager and president of soccer Garth Lagerwey said in a statement released by the club. "He's obviously a player we liked in the draft when we selected him and we're looking forward to continuing his development."
Selected by the Sounders with the eighth-overall pick in the 2014 SuperDraft, Lowe has yet to make an MLS appearance in his career. The 6-foot-3 Jamaican defender did feature regularly for Seattle’s USL affiliate, Sounders FC 2, last year, tallying one goal and one assist in 17 appearances for the team.
Lowe will be on loan to Minnesota United FC, who are set to move into MLS in 2017 or 2018, for the entirety of the 2016 NASL season.
