TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Toronto FC took the North American professional circuit by surprise on Tuesday when they selected Trinidadian Tyrese Spicer at No. 1 overall in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
The 23-year-old attended St Augustine Secondary School in Trinidad, where he was the top goal scorer four years ago in the Secondary Schools’ Football League and was the Most Valuable Player one year earlier. He helped the school become North Zone champions in 2017.
Spicer led the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference in the United States with 14 goals and three assists in 16 appearances for Lipscomb University last season.
He said his selection at No. 1 in the SuperDraft was a moment that he had dreamed about for years and believed that he could make an immediate impact for Toronto in the League.
“I just thank God for the opportunity to be at No. 1,” the pre-signed senior said during a Zoom interview with MLSsoccer.com.
“I would never imagine a guy from Trinidad, this small island, just always trying my best to add everything, just grinding everything out to be in this moment right now, in this spot. It shines a light on T&T.”
He added: “Honestly, it means the world to me to share this moment with (my family). I would never have dreamt of being in this position, being drafted No. 1 in the SuperDraft.
“Without God, this would’ve never happened, honestly. My family is huge on faith and God as well. And I just enjoyed the moment … I’m ready for the next steps in my life.”
Spicer, who hails from Trincity, said he had spoken with new Toronto head coach John Herdman before the SuperDraft, and he was excited about possibly getting into the first team almost immediately.
“He (Herdman) was like, ‘We could see you playing and getting minutes this coming season.’ He thinks I have world-class potential. He believes that I can make it to the next level.
“And I also think I can make it to the next level. I think I have the abilities. I believe in myself.”
Standing 6 feet, 1 inch tall, Spicer scored in 10 consecutive matches to open the past season, and he finished with 29 goals and 18 assists in 57 career appearances over four years for the university, which is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
He is set for a big adjustment, going from a low-profile Division 1 college to the pros – but he was not backing down from the challenge.
“I would like to join the first team,” he said. “I think I’m good enough to have an impact on it. I know transitioning from the NCAA (American college) level to the MLS level will be a jump. I will have to take a few weeks to adjust to the transition, the fast pace, and the high IQ of these players.
“But I trust myself. I’m always confident in myself. I can feed off these pros, and they can guide me and take me under their wing. I know my abilities. I know I’m good enough. And I will surprise the MLS.”
He said: “I’m very direct, I’m explosive. If you watch me, people always say that I’m very unpredictable. And that’s a good thing because I always want to have my opponents on their Ps and Qs.
“I like to score goals. I expect a lot of stuff from myself … Toronto fans, you’ll be happy to see me on the field. I will also bring some excitement to the stadium and some big goals.”
Toronto FC general manager Jason Hernandez hailed the choice of Spicer after an exemplary college career.
“Tyrese possesses a unique combination of technical and physical qualities that align with our player profile and tactical blueprint,” he said.
“He also has a resilient mindset and a drive to improve, which makes him a great fit for TFC. We look forward to working with Tyrese to accelerate his growth as a player and person while helping us achieve our goals as a club.”
Toronto is seeking to improve on a last-place finish that led to the departure of Bob Bradley midway through the 2023 season.
The Reds scored only 26 goals last year, tied for the fewest in the MLS.
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