Progress Report on Orlando City Squad Following MLS Expansion Draft
Following a few years of play in the lower divisions of American soccer, Orlando City will join Major League Soccer in 2015.
The Lions may not have the fancy association to a European club like fellow expansion side New York City FC, but they have potential to be a real contender in the Eastern Conference in 2015.
Managed by Adrian Heath, Orlando has a marquee designated player in Kaka, and it has built up a solid spine in the last week.
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Before we analyze the roster of the club, here is a look at who will be playing for the Florida-based side in 2015:
| Position | Player |
| GK | Donovan Ricketts |
| GK | Tally Hall |
| DEF | Tyler Turner |
| DEF | Luke Boden |
| DEF | Aurelien Collin |
| DEF | Heath Pearce |
| DEF | Tommy Redding |
| DEF | Rafael Ramos |
| MID | Kaka |
| MID | Amobi Okugo |
| MID | Tony Cascio |
| MID | Lewis Neal |
| MID | Pedro Ribeiro |
| MID | Kevin Molino |
| MID | Darwin Ceren |
| MID | Estrela |
| MID | Harrison Heath |
| FW | Jairo Arrieta |
| FW | Danny Mwanga |
| FW | Bryan Rochez |
Goalkeeper
The Lions aren't messing around went it comes to the goalkeeper position, as they have brought in two league veterans to man the space in between the pipes.
Tally Hall is the younger of the two 'keepers, and he should be around for the long term. However, the 29-year-old former Dynamo player is in the process of rehabbing a torn ACL.
With that in mind, Orlando City picked Donovan Ricketts with the No. 1 pick in the expansion draft. The 37-year-old Jamaican has played for three clubs in MLS over the last six seasons with Portland being his latest home.
Ricketts will be the starting 'keeper for the first match of the season, but he may not keep his spot in the starting 11 for the entire season.
Regardless of who starts in net in 2015, the Lions will not have to worry about a lack of experience in goal.
Defense
The big name in the Orlando City defense is Aurelien Collin, who was acquired from Sporting Kansas City during Monday's four-hour trade window.
Collin is one of the top defensive enforcers in the league, and he will bring plenty of attitude to a young defensive corps.
Alongside Collin will be Heath Pearce, who was chosen in Wednesday's expansion draft. The 30-year-old American has been rescued from the perils of Montreal to partner the imposing Frenchman at center-back.
On the wings, the Lions may be sporting a younger look with Tyler Turner and Luke Boden poised to earn starting positions.
Orlando City did acquire Eric Gehrig in the expansion draft, but the former Columbus player was sent to Chicago after the draft ended. Jalil Anibaba was also selected in Wednesday's draft, but he was shipped off to Sporting Kansas City to finalize the Collin trade.
With those players out of the picture, it looks like Turner and Boden will be handed an opportunity to replicate their 2014 USL Pro seasons in MLS.
To round out the defensive depth chart, the Lions have homegrown player Tommy Redding at center-back and Rafael Ramos, a 19-year-old right-back, who was signed by the club near the end of the 2014 USL Pro season.
Just like NYCFC, Orlando is not finished acquiring players at this position, but it does have a solid foundation in place.
Midfield
The biggest star on the Orlando City roster is Kaka, who will be one of the many new designated players entering the league in 2015.
At 32, Kaka still has a few years left in his legs, and it would not be a surprise to see him star during his first season in the United States. If he is half the player he was at AC Milan or Real Madrid, he could finish in the top five in goals or assists in 2015.
In the defensive half of midfield, the Lions have a rock in Amobi Okugo. The 23-year-old is a defensive midfielder by trade, but he was utilized at center-back during his final two seasons in Philadelphia as well.
If he is able to finally settle into his true position in Orlando, Okugo has the potential to climb into the United States men's national team discussion. Do not be surprised if he also makes the 2015 MLS All-Star team.
In the expansion draft, Orlando obtained Tony Cascio from Colorado, Lewis Neal from D.C. United and Pedro Ribeiro from Philadelphia. The trio of players has the potential to be major contributors in Orlando, but it all depends on how they fit into the club's system.
Cascio is expected to open things up on the wing, while Ribeiro should earn a shot to backup Kaka or even play up top at some point. Neal has been a solid option off the bench for D.C. over the last three seasons and should play the same role in Orlando.
The other two recognizable faces in the Orlando midfield are Kevin Molino and Darwin Ceren. Molino was the first player signed to an MLS contract by the club, while Ceren is a useful player who is the captain of the El Salvador national team.
Harrison Heath, who is the son of manager Adrian, is also on the roster, but at 18 years old he is a prospect for the future. Estrela, 19, will also be another reserve to watch in regard to development.
Forward
The Lions still have some work to do up top, but they have acquired a few nice pieces at the forward position.
Jairo Arrieta is the best forward on the current roster, as he brings 17 MLS goals with him. The Costa Rican's playing time in 2014 was cut short due to injuries. But when he is healthy, he can be a key contributor in the goal department.
Orlando also added 19-year-old Bryan Rochez from Honduran side Real Espana this week. Despite his young age, Rochez has turned himself into a proven asset in front of goal. Over the last three seasons in Honduras, Rochez scored 30 goals, per Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel.
Former MLS SuperDraft No. 1 overall pick Danny Mwanga was also taken in the expansion draft. Since entering the league in 2010, Mwanga has scored 15 goals for three different teams. He hasn't scored a league goal since his brace for Portland against San Jose on September 19, 2012.
If Rochez can extend his talents into MLS, the Lions may not be in bad shape up top. However, it would be ideal for them to bring in another forward in case one of the current players does not produce.
Progress Report Grade: B+
It can be argued that Orlando has built its roster in a better fashion than New York City FC over the last few days.
Bringing in Collin and Okugo to shape the team's spine was an excellent move by the front office. As was the addition of Ricketts with Hall on the mend in goal. Some work can be done at the forward position, but Arrieta and Rochez are good for the time being.
Depth is an issue at the moment, but we can expect the Lions to build that up throughout the rest of the offseason. If they improve on their depth with quality signings, they could earn a higher grade when the offseason ends.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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