Official release from Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake was one of the more active teams during today's 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft, which was conducted this afternoon with officials from all 19 MLS squads via conference call.
After selecting four players - M/D Andy Rose (6th overall/first round), FW Emiliano Bonfigli (17th overall/first round), FW Oliver Kupe (36th overall/second round) and MF Benjamin Ubierna (55th overall/third round) - during the first three rounds of today's draft, RSL passed on filling out its full complement of picks by passing on its fourth round (74th overall) selection.
Following the Supplemental Draft, Real Salt Lake traded the rights to Rose to Seattle Sounders FC in exchange for the MLS contract rights to DF Leone Cruz, who was selected by Sounders FC in the second round (21st overall) in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft and featured in a pair of MLS ReserveLeague contests on behalf of the Claret-and-Cobalt last August.
Cruz, Bonfigli, Kupe and Ubierna are expected to join the rest of the Real Salt Lake camp on the Wasatch Front late next week to begin the squad's 2012 preseason, which will begin in earnest with fitness testing on Thursday, Jan. 26 following exit physicals the day prior. A finalized preseason roster including all signed players, SuperDraft and Supplemental Draft picks and trialists will be released next week in the run-up to the start of the 2012 preseason schedule.
