The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players to the league's ten inaugural teams. The Inaugural Player Draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996 after each team was allocated four marquee players.

The Columbus Crew selected Brian McBride with the first overall pick.

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| Denotes player who has been inducted to the US Soccer Hall of Fame

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| Denotes player who has been selected for an MLS Best XI team

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Round 1

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!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 1

| Columbus Crew || bgcolor="#FFFF99"| Brian McBride || F || VfL Wolfsburg

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! 2

| Colorado Rapids || Jean Harbor || F || Seattle SeaDogs

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! 3

| Dallas Burn || Ted Eck || M || Wichita Wings

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! 4

| Los Angeles Galaxy || bgcolor="#FBCEB1" | Robin Fraser || D || Colorado Foxes

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! 5

| New England Revolution || Iain Fraser || D || Sacramento Knights

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! 6

| Kansas City Wiz || bgcolor="#FBCEB1" | Mark Chung || M || San Diego Sockers

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! 7

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Mark Dougherty || GK || Hawaii Tsunami

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! 8

| San Jose Clash || Paul Bravo || M || Monterey Bay Jaguars

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! 9

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Matt Knowles || D || Milwaukee Wave

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! 10

| D.C. United || Raúl Díaz Arce || F || Firpo

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Round 2

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!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 11

| Columbus Crew || Mark Watson || D || Vancouver 86ers

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! 12

| Colorado Rapids || Denis Hamlett || D || Anaheim Splash

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! 13

| Dallas Burn || Tom Soehn || D || Las Vegas Dustdevils

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! 14

| Los Angeles Galaxy || David Kramer || GK || Monterey Bay Jaguars

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! 15

| |New England Revolution || Peter Woodring || D || Hawaii Tsunami

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! 16

| Kansas City Wiz || Peter Isaacs || F || Tampa Bay Cyclones

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! 17

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Peter Hattrup || M || Seattle Sounders

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! 18

| San Jose Clash || Altimont Butler || M || North Jersey Imperials

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! 19

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Troy Dayak || D || San Jose Grizzlies

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! 20

| D.C. United || Shawn Medved || M || Cincinnati Silverbacks

|}

Round 3

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!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 21

| Columbus Crew || Billy Thompson || F || Tampa Bay Terror

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! 22

| Colorado Rapids || Steve Trittschuh || D || Tampa Bay Terror

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! 23

| Dallas Burn || Lawrence Lozzano || D || Tampico

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! 24

| Los Angeles Galaxy ||Jorge Salcedo || M || Monarcas Morelia

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! 25

| New England Revolution || Bojan Vučković || F || Tampa Bay Terror

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! 26

| Kansas City Wiz || Sean Bowers || D || Anaheim Splash

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! 27

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || John Diffley || D || Long Island Rough Riders

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! 28

| San Jose Clash || Tim Martin || D || Atlanta Ruckus

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! 29

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || bgcolor="#FFFF99"| Peter Vermes || F || New York Fever

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! 30

| D.C. United || Erik Imler || D || Raleigh Flyers

|}

Round 4

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

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!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 31

| Columbus Crew || Mike Clark || D || Richmond Kickers

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! 32

| Colorado Rapids || Brian Bates || D || Richmond Kickers

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! 33

| Dallas Burn || Brian Haynes || M || Seattle Sounders

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! 34

| Los Angeles Galaxy || John Garvey || F || Baltimore Spirit

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! 35

| New England Revolution || Marquis White || F || Club Destroyers

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! 36

| Kansas City Wiz || Eric Eichmann || F || St. Louis Ambush

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! 37

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Ivan McKinley || M || Wits University FC

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! 38

| San Jose Clash || Rhett Harty || D || Monterey Bay Jaguars

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! 39

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Jeff Zaun || D || North Jersey Imperials

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! 40

| D.C. United || Richie Williams || M || Richmond Kickers

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Round 5

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!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 41

| Columbus Crew || Bo Oshoniyi || GK || New York Centaurs

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! 42

| Colorado Rapids || Troy Edwards || D || Myrtle Beach Boyz

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! 43

| Dallas Burn || bgcolor="#FBCEB1" | Jason Kreis || F || Raleigh Flyers

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! 44

| Los Angeles Galaxy ||Mark Semioli || D || Monterey Bay Jaguars

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! 45

| New England Revolution || Ted Chronopoulos || D || Panionios

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! 46

| Kansas City Wiz || Jeff Causey || GK || Richmond Kickers

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! 47

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Diego Viera || F || C.A. Cerro

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! 48

| San Jose Clash || Paul Holocher || M || Monterey Bay Jaguars

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! 49

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || A.J. Wood || F || University of Virginia

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! 50

| D.C. United || Thor Lee || D || Wichita Wings

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Round 6

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

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!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 51

| Columbus Crew || Brandon Ward || M || Hampton Roads Mariners

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! 52

| Colorado Rapids || Scott Cannon || D || Cincinnati Silverbacks

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! 53

| Dallas Burn || bgcolor="#FBCEB1" | Mark Dodd || GK || Colorado Foxes

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! 54

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Joey Kirk || F || St. Louis Ambush

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! 55

| New England Revolution || Yari Allnutt || F || Irapuato

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! 56

| Kansas City Wiz || Tommy Reasoner || M || San Diego Top Guns

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! 57

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Frank Yallop || D || Ipswich Town

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! 58

| San Jose Clash || Jeff Baicher || F || San Jose Grizzlies

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! 59

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Ted Gillen || M || Richmond Kickers

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! 60

| D.C. United || Brian Kamler || M || Richmond Kickers

|}

Round 7

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 61

| Columbus Crew || Janusz Michallik || M || New York Centaurs

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! 62

| Colorado Rapids || Matt Kmosko || D || Cincinnati Silverbacks

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! 63

| Dallas Burn || Rene Ortiz || M || San Diego Sockers

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! 64

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Harut Karapetyan || F || Los Angeles Salsa

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! 65

| New England Revolution || Robert Ukrop || F || Richmond Kickers

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! 66

| Kansas City Wiz || Scott Uderitz || F || Las Vegas Dustdevils

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! 67

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Frankie Hejduk || D || UCLA

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! 68

| San Jose Clash || Jeff Betts || F || Portland Pride

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! 69

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || bgcolor="#FBCEB1" | Zach Thornton || GK || Loyola-Maryland

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! 70

| D.C. United || Mile Milovac || GK || United Serbs

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Round 8

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 71

| Columbus Crew || Todd Yeagley || M || Richmond Kickers

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! 72

| Colorado Rapids || Scott Benedetti || F || Colorado Foxes

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! 73

| Dallas Burn || Gerell Elliott || M || Sacramento Knights

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! 74

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Curt Onalfo || D || Tampico

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! 75

| New England Revolution || Darren Sawatzky || F || Oregon Surge

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! 76

| Kansas City Wiz || Nyanforth Peters || F || FC Locarno

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! 77

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Tayt Ianni || D || Raj Pracha FC

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! 78

| San Jose Clash || Dave Salzwedel || GK || Los Angeles Soccer Club

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! 79

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Eddie Soto || F || Los Angeles Salsa U-23

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! 80

| D.C. United || Kris Kelderman || D || St. Louis Ambush

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Round 9

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

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! 81

| Columbus Crew || Ramiro Corrales || D || California Jaguars

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! 82

| Colorado Rapids || Ian Butterworth || D || Norwich City

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! 83

| Dallas Burn || John Kerr, Jr. || M || Walsall

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! 84

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Manny Motajo || D || Washington Warthogs

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! 85

| New England Revolution || Tom Lips || D || New York Fever

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! 86

| Kansas City Wiz || Uche Okafor || D || Ironi Ashdod

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! 87

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Mike Duhaney || M || University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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! 88

| San Jose Clash || Victor Mella || F || Colo-Colo

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! 89

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Giovanni Savarese || F || Long Island Rough Riders

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! 90

| D.C. United || Clint Peay || D || University of Virginia

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Round 10

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

|-

! 91

| Columbus Crew || Marcelo Carrera || F || Canton Invaders

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! 92

| Colorado Rapids || Felipe Rodriguez || M || Pumas

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! 93

| Dallas Burn || Jimmy McGeough, Jr. || D || Wichita Wings

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! 94

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Joey Leonetti || M || Portland Pride

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! 95

| New England Revolution || Richard Weiszmann || D || North Bay Breakers

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! 96

| Kansas City Wiz || Alan Prampin || F || Raleigh Flyers

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! 97

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Flávio Ferri || F || San Antonio Pumas

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! 98

| San Jose Clash || Henry Gutierrez || M || Myrtle Beach Boyz

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! 99

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Pat O'Kelly || D || North Jersey Imperials

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! 100

| D.C. United || Ben Crawley || F || Richmond Kickers

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Round 11

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

|-

! 101

| Columbus Crew || Shane Battelle || D || St. Louis Knights

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! 102

| Colorado Rapids || Lance Hill || F || New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers

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! 103

| Dallas Burn || Jorge Flores || M || Paramount High School

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! 104

| Los Angeles Galaxy || John O'Brien || M || Anaheim Splash

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! 105

| New England Revolution || John DeBrito || M || New York Fever

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! 106

| Kansas City Wiz || Phil Wellington || GK || Cocoa Expos

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! 107

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Derek Backman || M || Tampa Bay Cyclones

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! 108

| San Jose Clash || Oscar Draguicevich || D || Cleveland Crunch

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! 109

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Mickey Kydes || M || New York Fever

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! 110

| D.C. United || Said Fazlagić || D || NK Rovinj

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Round 12

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

|-

! 111

| Columbus Crew || Pete Marino || F || Bayer Leverkusen (Regionalliga)

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! 112

| Colorado Rapids || Eric Puls || F || St. Louis Knights

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! 113

| Dallas Burn || Richard Farrer || F || New Mexico Chiles

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! 114

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Adan Villalvazo || F || Cerritos Inter-America

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! 115

| New England Revolution || Jim Adams || GK || Cleveland Crunch

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! 116

| Kansas City Wiz || Kevin Koetters || M || Kansas City Attack

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! 117

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Nelson Vargas || M || Florida Eagles

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! 118

| San Jose Clash || Gabe Garcia || F || Myrtle Beach Boyz

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! 119

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Khary Stockton || F || Richmond Kickers

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! 120

| D.C. United || Daniel de Oliveira || M || Firpo

|}

Round 13

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

|-

! 121

| Columbus Crew || Paul Young || M || Charleston Battery

|-

! 122

| Colorado Rapids || Josh McKay || D || Hawaii Tsunami

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! 123

| Dallas Burn || Jimmy Glenn || F || Cincinnati Silverbacks

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! 124

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Brad Wilson || M || 1. FC Saarbrücken

|-

! 125

| New England Revolution || Geoff Aunger || M || Vancouver 86ers

|-

! 126

| Kansas City Wiz || Billy Baumhoff || D || St. Louis Knights

|-

! 127

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Zen Luzniak || M || Fort Lauderdale Strikers

|-

! 128

| San Jose Clash || Rafael Amaya || D || Colorado Foxes

|-

! 129

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Andrew Restrepo || D || Tampa Bay Cyclones

|-

! 130

| D.C. United || Matthew Olson || GK || Everett BigFoot

|}

Round 14

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

|-

! 131

| Columbus Crew || Laurence Piturro || D || Long Island Rough Riders

|-

! 132

| Colorado Rapids || Khalil Azmi || GK || New Hampshire Ramblers

|-

! 133

| Dallas Burn || Steve Keller || M || Rockford Raptors

|-

! 134

| Los Angeles Galaxy || David Beall || M || San Diego Sockers

|-

! 135

| New England Revolution || Antonio Superbia || M || Jersey Dragons

|-

! 136

| Kansas City Wiz || Terry Woodberry || D || Dallas Sidekicks

|-

! 137

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Scott Budnick || GK || :de:SSV Vorsfelde

|-

! 138

| San Jose Clash || Tom Liner || GK || P.S.V. Schwartz-Weiss

|-

! 139

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Nidal Baba || M || Clemson University

|-

! 140

| D.C. United || Sterling Wescott || F || Wichita Wings

|}

Round 15

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

|-

! 141

| Columbus Crew || Todd Haskins || M || Washington Warthogs

|-

! 142

| Colorado Rapids || Brian Hurley || M || Tampico

|-

! 143

| Dallas Burn || Ed Puskarich || D || Milwaukee Wave

|-

! 144

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Garfield Shaw || F || Washington Warthogs

|-

! 145

| New England Revolution || Derk Droze || F || Arica

|-

! 146

| Kansas City Wiz || Samuel Ekeme || D || Monterrey La Raza

|-

! 147

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Goran Hunjak || F || Kansas City Attack

|-

! 148

| San Jose Clash || Carlos Farias || F || Unattached

|-

! 149

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Jorge Acosta || F || New York Fever

|-

! 150

| D.C. United || Garth Lagerwey || GK || Hampton Roads Mariners

|}

Round 16

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!width=7%| Pick # !!width=22%| MLS team !!width=20%| Player !!width=9%| Position !!width=22%| Previous Team

|-

! 151

| Columbus Crew || Manny Catano || M || Des Moines Menace

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! 152

| Colorado Rapids || Joel Shanker || M || St. Louis Ambush

|-

! 153

| Dallas Burn || Gabe Gentile || M || Dallas Texans

|-

! 154

| Los Angeles Galaxy || Carlos Jaguande || M || Jersey Dragons

|-

! 155

| New England Revolution || Jorge Olamendi || M || Los Angeles Salsa

|-

! 156

| Kansas City Wiz || Ken Snow || F || Tampa Bay Terror

|-

! 157

| Tampa Bay Mutiny || Greg Lalas || M || Avenir Beggen

|-

! 158

| San Jose Clash || Kevin Grimes || M || Raleigh Flyers

|-

! 159

| New York/New Jersey MetroStars || Walter Bustamante || M || Jersey Dragons

|-

! 160

| D.C. United || Carlos Garcia || M || Myrtle Beach Boyz

|}

References

Sources

  • 1996 season: salaries, drafts - latimes.com