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.

^ Denotes player who has been inducted to the US Soccer Hall of Fame * Denotes player who has been selected for an MLS Best XI team

Round 1 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 1 Columbus Crew Brian McBride F VfL Wolfsburg 2 Colorado Rapids Jean Harbor F Seattle SeaDogs 3 Dallas Burn Ted Eck M Wichita Wings 4 Los Angeles Galaxy Robin Fraser D Colorado Foxes 5 New England Revolution Iain Fraser D Sacramento Knights 6 Kansas City Wiz Mark Chung M San Diego Sockers 7 Tampa Bay Mutiny Mark Dougherty GK Hawaii Tsunami 8 San Jose Clash Paul Bravo M Monterey Bay Jaguars 9 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Matt Knowles D Milwaukee Wave 10 D.C. United Raúl Díaz Arce F Firpo

Round 2 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 11 Columbus Crew Mark Watson D Vancouver 86ers 12 Colorado Rapids Denis Hamlett D Anaheim Splash 13 Dallas Burn Tom Soehn D Las Vegas Dustdevils 14 Los Angeles Galaxy David Kramer GK Monterey Bay Jaguars 15New England Revolution Peter Woodring D Hawaii Tsunami 16 Kansas City Wiz Peter Isaacs F Tampa Bay Cyclones 17 Tampa Bay Mutiny Peter Hattrup M Seattle Sounders 18 San Jose Clash Altimont Butler M North Jersey Imperials 19 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Troy Dayak D San Jose Grizzlies 20 D.C. United Shawn Medved M Cincinnati Silverbacks

Round 3 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 21 Columbus Crew Billy Thompson F Tampa Bay Terror 22 Colorado Rapids Steve Trittschuh D Tampa Bay Terror 23 Dallas Burn Lawrence Lozzano D Tampico 24 Los Angeles Galaxy Jorge Salcedo M Monarcas Morelia 25 New England Revolution Bojan Vučković F Tampa Bay Terror 26 Kansas City Wiz Sean Bowers D Anaheim Splash 27 Tampa Bay Mutiny John Diffley D Long Island Rough Riders 28 San Jose Clash Tim Martin D Atlanta Ruckus 29 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Peter Vermes F New York Fever 30 D.C. United Erik Imler D Raleigh Flyers

Round 4 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 31 Columbus Crew Mike Clark D Richmond Kickers 32 Colorado Rapids Brian Bates D Richmond Kickers 33 Dallas Burn Brian Haynes M Seattle Sounders 34 Los Angeles Galaxy John Garvey F Baltimore Spirit 35 New England Revolution Marquis White F Club Destroyers 36 Kansas City Wiz Eric Eichmann F St. Louis Ambush 37 Tampa Bay Mutiny Ivan McKinley M Wits University FC 38 San Jose Clash Rhett Harty D Monterey Bay Jaguars 39 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Jeff Zaun D North Jersey Imperials 40 D.C. United Richie Williams M Richmond Kickers

Round 5 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 41 Columbus Crew Bo Oshoniyi GK New York Centaurs 42 Colorado Rapids Troy Edwards D Myrtle Beach Boyz 43 Dallas Burn Jason Kreis F Raleigh Flyers 44 Los Angeles Galaxy Mark Semioli D Monterey Bay Jaguars 45 New England Revolution Ted Chronopoulos D Panionios 46 Kansas City Wiz Jeff Causey GK Richmond Kickers 47 Tampa Bay Mutiny Diego Viera F C.A. Cerro 48 San Jose Clash Paul Holocher M Monterey Bay Jaguars 49 New York/New Jersey MetroStars A.J. Wood F University of Virginia 50 D.C. United Thor Lee D Wichita Wings

Round 6 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 51 Columbus Crew Brandon Ward M Hampton Roads Mariners 52 Colorado Rapids Scott Cannon D Cincinnati Silverbacks 53 Dallas Burn Mark Dodd GK Colorado Foxes 54 Los Angeles Galaxy Joey Kirk F St. Louis Ambush 55 New England Revolution Yari Allnutt F Irapuato 56 Kansas City Wiz Tommy Reasoner M San Diego Top Guns 57 Tampa Bay Mutiny Frank Yallop D Ipswich Town 58 San Jose Clash Jeff Baicher F San Jose Grizzlies 59 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Ted Gillen M Richmond Kickers 60 D.C. United Brian Kamler M Richmond Kickers

Round 7 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 61 Columbus Crew Janusz Michallik M New York Centaurs 62 Colorado Rapids Matt Kmosko D Cincinnati Silverbacks 63 Dallas Burn Rene Ortiz M San Diego Sockers 64 Los Angeles Galaxy Harut Karapetyan F Los Angeles Salsa 65 New England Revolution Robert Ukrop F Richmond Kickers 66 Kansas City Wiz Scott Uderitz F Las Vegas Dustdevils 67 Tampa Bay Mutiny Frankie Hejduk D UCLA 68 San Jose Clash Jeff Betts F Portland Pride 69 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Zach Thornton GK Loyola-Maryland 70 D.C. United Mile Milovac GK United Serbs

Round 8 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 71 Columbus Crew Todd Yeagley M Richmond Kickers 72 Colorado Rapids Scott Benedetti F Colorado Foxes 73 Dallas Burn Gerell Elliott M Sacramento Knights 74 Los Angeles Galaxy Curt Onalfo D Tampico 75 New England Revolution Darren Sawatzky F Oregon Surge 76 Kansas City Wiz Nyanforth Peters F FC Locarno 77 Tampa Bay Mutiny Tayt Ianni D Raj Pracha FC 78 San Jose Clash Dave Salzwedel GK Los Angeles Soccer Club 79 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Eddie Soto F Los Angeles Salsa U-23 80 D.C. United Kris Kelderman D St. Louis Ambush

Round 9 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 81 Columbus Crew Ramiro Corrales D California Jaguars 82 Colorado Rapids Ian Butterworth D Norwich City 83 Dallas Burn John Kerr, Jr. M Walsall 84 Los Angeles Galaxy Manny Motajo D Washington Warthogs 85 New England Revolution Tom Lips D New York Fever 86 Kansas City Wiz Uche Okafor D Ironi Ashdod 87 Tampa Bay Mutiny Mike Duhaney M University of Nevada, Las Vegas 88 San Jose Clash Victor Mella F Colo-Colo 89 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Giovanni Savarese F Long Island Rough Riders 90 D.C. United Clint Peay D University of Virginia

Round 10 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 91 Columbus Crew Marcelo Carrera F Canton Invaders 92 Colorado Rapids Felipe Rodriguez M Pumas 93 Dallas Burn Jimmy McGeough, Jr. D Wichita Wings 94 Los Angeles Galaxy Joey Leonetti M Portland Pride 95 New England Revolution Richard Weiszmann D North Bay Breakers 96 Kansas City Wiz Alan Prampin F Raleigh Flyers 97 Tampa Bay Mutiny Flávio Ferri F San Antonio Pumas 98 San Jose Clash Henry Gutierrez M Myrtle Beach Boyz 99 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Pat O'Kelly D North Jersey Imperials 100 D.C. United Ben Crawley F Richmond Kickers

Round 11 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 101 Columbus Crew Shane Battelle D St. Louis Knights 102 Colorado Rapids Lance Hill F New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers 103 Dallas Burn Jorge Flores M Paramount High School 104 Los Angeles Galaxy John O'Brien M Anaheim Splash 105 New England Revolution John DeBrito M New York Fever 106 Kansas City Wiz Phil Wellington GK Cocoa Expos 107 Tampa Bay Mutiny Derek Backman M Tampa Bay Cyclones 108 San Jose Clash Oscar Draguicevich D Cleveland Crunch 109 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Mickey Kydes M New York Fever 110 D.C. United Said Fazlagić D NK Rovinj

Round 12 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 111 Columbus Crew Pete Marino F Bayer Leverkusen (Regionalliga) 112 Colorado Rapids Eric Puls F St. Louis Knights 113 Dallas Burn Richard Farrer F New Mexico Chiles 114 Los Angeles Galaxy Adan Villalvazo F Cerritos Inter-America 115 New England Revolution Jim Adams GK Cleveland Crunch 116 Kansas City Wiz Kevin Koetters M Kansas City Attack 117 Tampa Bay Mutiny Nelson Vargas M Florida Eagles 118 San Jose Clash Gabe Garcia F Myrtle Beach Boyz 119 New York/New Jersey MetroStars Khary Stockton F Richmond Kickers 120 D.C. United Daniel de Oliveira M Firpo

Round 13 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 121 Columbus Crew Paul Young M Charleston Battery 122 Colorado Rapids Josh McKay D Hawaii Tsunami 123 Dallas Burn Jimmy Glenn F Cincinnati Silverbacks 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 Pick # MLS team Player Position 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 Pick # MLS team Player Position 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 Pick # MLS team Player Position Previous Team 151 Columbus Crew Manny Catano M Des Moines Menace 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