Marco Farfan turned heads in his rookie season.

The then-Centennial High School senior put in five strong starts for the Portland Timbers and looked like a seasoned pro in April when he was named to the MLS Team of the Week following his second start at the MLS level.

That promising rookie campaign drove Farfan to push himself harder this offseason in hopes of achieving more this year.

"Last year, I got my feet wet, got to see what the league was like, got to experience the professional level," Farfan said. "Looking ahead to my second year, I wanted to come out sharp and come out flying."

While Farfan made an impression early in his rookie year, the young left back also had to overcome some adversity during the long season and his 2017 campaign didn't end the way he had hoped.

After struggling to earn minutes in the middle of the year as the Timbers relied on a more experienced backline, Farfan was finally slated to make his return to the lineup as an injury replacement in the late summer. But days before his expected start, Farfan suffered an unfortunate ankle injury that sidelined him for nearly two months.

When he finally did return to the field, Farfan said he had put on weight and felt out of shape. By that time, the club was preparing for a playoff run and it was clear that Farfan wouldn't get another chance in 2017.

"It was hard for me because I missed a couple of opportunities to play because of the injury," Farfan said. "When I came back, I felt a little bit heavy and started getting tired pretty fast. I obviously wasn't as fit as the other guys because I was out for two months. I wanted to do something about that."

When the Timbers were eliminated from playoffs in early November, Farfan immediately began to turn his attention to 2018.

He completely changed his diet in the offseason in hopes of putting on more muscle and shedding the pounds that he had gained while sidelined with his injury. He started counting the ratio of macronutrients in his diet and put an emphasis on consuming enough protein in every meal. He said the diet helped him lose 10-15 lbs of fat during the offseason.

At the same time, Farfan religiously adhered to the Timbers offseason weight training and fitness routine. And he supplemented that daily workout plan by joining some of his fellow Timbers teammates for futsal games at Rose City Futsal or playing pick-up soccer with friends near his home in Gresham.

"Just being in the gym, playing soccer, being on that diet, I think that really helped me stay productive and active during the offseason," Farfan said. "Now, I feel like I'm in a really good position."

Farfan felt fit and looked noticeably stronger when he entered preseason training camp in January. While he is still the youngest player on Portland's roster, the 19-year-old has felt more confident and comfortable in the Timbers environment heading into his second year.

And it has translated onto the field.

Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said that he has been impressed with what he has seen from Farfan so far in preseason. While Farfan enters the year behind veteran left back Vytas on the depth chart, Savarese said he expects Farfan to fight for playing time at the position.

After strong showings in Portland's first three games of preseason, Farfan was even given an opportunity in the starting 11 Saturday when the Timbers faced FC Dallas in their fourth preseason game of the year. He played the first 45 minutes before being subbed off at halftime as the Timbers struggled in the match. But the 19-year-old is sure to get many more opportunities to prove himself.

"I'm very happy and pleased with what he has shown during preseason so far," Savarese said. "He's an honest and hardworking player. He seems a lot more experienced than his age with the way that he plays. He's going to battle for a starting position."

Farfan is ready for that competition. No longer a rookie, he is entering his second year with something to prove.

"I have some pretty big goals this year," Farfan said. "I want to be a starter for the team. I know if I keep working hard and keeping the right mentality and having confidence and taking advantage of my opportunities that could possibly happen."

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg