ORLANDO – After selecting Joey DeZart in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft (31st overall) the club announced on Friday that the youngster had signed a first-team contract for 2020.
“We’ve been extremely pleased with Joey’s progression and skill set shown during the preseason and are very excited to be able to offer him a contract with the First Team. Joey has shown great composure on the ball, vision on the field and we expect him to provide some additional depth and competition in the midfield.”
Orlando City SC EVP of Soccer Oprations, Luiz Muzzi
The midfielder was the first pick of the second round and will add height to the Orlando midfield and despite having been called in to the Jamaica Under 20 national team he was born in New Jersey so won’t count as an international player.
DeZart comes to Florida having spent his college career with Wake Forest playing 65 times for the Demon Deacons, starting 53 of them over four years. In his last two years in Winston-Salem he finally got on the score sheet, scoring one goal in each season, having played in a more defensive role for the side through his four years.
Getting DeZart is something of a coup for the Lions as he played for the Philadelphia Union academy but with no homegrown claim on him the midfielder comes south. With the signing the OCSC roster now stands at 27 a week away from the start of the MLS season.
Florida Soccer Report 