BALTIMORE—The Vancouver Whitecaps looked to youth in the MLS SuperDraft, taking 17-year-old forward Omar Salgado with the first pick Thursday.

The six-foot-four, 170-pounder from El Paso, Texas, is a member of the U.S. under-20 team.

“It’s awesome, it’s the best. I never imagined it. I can’t believe it,” Salgado told ESPN.

Three straight University of Akron players were selected after Salgado. The NCAA champions accounted for five of the first eight picks in the draft.

The Portland Timbers took Akron forward Darlington Nagbe with the second pick before D.C. United took midfielder Perry Kitchen and Chivas USA grabbed defender Zarek Valentin.

Nagbe, who was named NCAA player of the year earlier this month, made it clear he wanted to play in the U.S.

“They (Vancouver) knew it was a preference of mine growing in the United States,” he told ESPN. “So maybe that played a role in it, maybe it didn’t. But I’m happy to be in Portland and I’m excited”

Vancouver used its other first-round pick, the eighth overall selection acquired in an earlier trade with Toronto, to take five-foot-eight Akron midfielder Michael Nanchoff. He had 10 goals and nine assists for the Zips last season.

The Whitecaps and Timbers are new additions to the league this season.

Toronto FC, the other Canadian team, still managed to make news by shipping big-ticket forward Chad Barrett to the Los Angeles Galaxy for future considerations.

“We made this move to give us more flexibility in building our squad for the new season,” Toronto FC coach Aron Winter said in a statement. “This creates more cap space which will help us create a team capable of playing the style of soccer we are looking for.”

Barrett, 25, had 16 goals in 65 appearances for Toronto, with seven goals and two assists last season when he made US$212,500.

Salgado was somewhat of a surprise choice for top pick.

At 15, Salgado joined Mexico’s Chivas de Guadalajara’s academy system and became part of Mexico’s under-17 and under-20 youth team programs.

He ultimately returned to the U.S. Chivas has a policy of only employing Mexican players.

The Philadelphia Union took goalkeeper Zac McMath, from the University of Maryland and the U.S. under-20 team, with the fifth pick.

New England then chose University of California defender A.J. Soares.

The Houston Dynamo also reached into Akron’s roster, selecting defender Kofi Sarodie seventh overall.

The younger brother of England star Wayne Rooney was taken by the New York Red Bulls in the second round.

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Midfielder John Rooney went 25th overall, one pick ahead of Toronto FC’s first pick in the draft.

At five foot nine and 164 pounds, the 20-year-old John Rooney is a little shorter and lighter than his famous brother.

Toronto then took University of California defender Demitrius Omphroy 26th overall.