BALTIMORE - To acquire the No. 2 pick in Thursday's MLS SuperDraft, the Union had to trade cash as well as a player to be named later.
As it turns out, that player is one of the most popular and longest-tenured ones on the club.
To complete the draft-day deal that allowed Philly to select Georgetown center back Joshua Yaro with the second overall pick, the Union announced Friday that Zach Pfeffer will be shipped to the Colorado Rapids.
Pfeffer has been with the Union since before the 2011 season, when, as a 15-year-old high school sophomore at Upper Dublin, he became the fourth-youngest player ever to sign an MLS contract.
Since then, he's struggled to find consistent playing time, making 14 starts and playing a total of 1,226 minutes, the vast majority of which came this past season.
"Zach has grown from a 15-year-old teenager to a 21-year-old man during his time with the Union," Union sporting director Earnie Stewart said in a statement. "His development as a player and a teammate both on and off the pitch has been a credit to our organization and we thank him for his devotion and efforts during the past five years."
Pfeffer, mature beyond his years and especially beloved by the Sons of Ben, played 136 minutes as a rookie in 2011 before playing just four minutes the following season. He then spent all of 2013 in Germany, on loan with Hoffenheim. Many hoped he would finally become a regular in 2014, but he ended up playing just 98 minutes on the year.
Philadelphia Union
The 21-year-old midfielder finally got his chance in 2015, playing in 21 games and logging two goals and an assist. But his playing time tapered near the end of the season.
Pfeffer was one of three Homegrown players ever to sign with the Union, along with Jimmy McLaughlin and Cristhian Hernandez. None are currently on the team, although the Union did select Philly-area native Keegan Rosenberry, who spent time in the club's youth academy, with the third pick in Thursday's draft.
Teammates at Georgetown, Rosenberry and Yaro are expected to come in right away to help the Union's backline.
With the recent departures of Pfeffer and Andrew Wenger - whose trade to Houston last month allowed Philly to get the No. 6 pick, with which they took Creighton attacker Fabian Herbers - Rosenberry and backup goalie John McCarthy are the only locals on the club right now.
"We're happy to have Keegan wear the badge, and it's a badge he's wanted to wear since he was 16 years old," Union head coach Jim Curtin said Thursday after the draft. "It's something he's proud of. You can tell that when you see his family out there, with his sisters and his girlfriend and just how much it meant to them. He's happy to stay home, and we made it happen. It's a great pick for us."
