Timbers add pair as MLS draft concludes

The Portland Timbers selected defender Anthony Manning from St. Louis University and midfielder Seth Casiple from California on the final day of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft.

Manning won the Atlantic-10 Defender of the Year award in both 2013 and 2014 while anchoring the Billikens defense. Manning is listed at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. He was taken with the 52nd overall selection. Tuesday’s third and fourth rounds of the annual college draft were conducted by conference call.

Casiple (5-8, 155) was a co-captain for a Cal Bears team that reached the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament. An All-Pac-12 selection as a senior, Casiple was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2011.

The Timbers selected Casiple with the 84th and final selection of the draft. Portland and Colorado were given extra picks at the end of the four-round college draft because of trades that were made when the MLS draft lasted six rounds.

Manning and Casiple could find spots on the Timbers 2 USL Pro team roster if they don’t make the first team.

The first two rounds of the MLS SuperDraft were held on Thursday. The Timbers selected midfielder Nick Besler from Notre Dame and left back Andy Thoma from Washington in the first round. In the second round, the Timbers selected forwards Christian Volesky out of Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Kharlton Belmar out of Virginia Commonwealth.

The Timbers open the 2015 MLS regular season at home on March 7. They begin preseason training on Friday.