Michigan's Harrison, Ragen selected in second round of MLS SuperDraft, MSU's Barone goes in third

Players with Michigan ties featured prominently in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, notably a pair of Michigan defenders Jackson Ragen (Chicago Fire, No. 33 overall) and Joel Harrison (Vancouver Whitecaps, No. 53 overall) who were selected in the second round.

Michigan State midfielder Giuseppe Barone, who is from Kentwood, was taken by Club de Football Montreal in the third round, 63rd overall.

Ragen, who is from Seattle, has five goals and five assists in 58 appearances — 42 of those starts — in the past two seasons for the Wolverines, who have only conceded 36 goals and recorded 19 shutouts during that span. The 6-foot-6 defender was named First Team All-Big Ten in 2019.

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Harrison served as one of the three captains in 2019, which saw him play 1,702 minutes while switching between center back and outside back spots. The Langley, B.C. resident also has familiarity with the Whitecaps organization, spending two years in the club’s academy system while making four appearances for Whitecaps FC 2 in 2016.

This fall's college soccer season was pushed to the spring due to the pandemic. Drafted players without agents will remain eligible for the 2021 season.

Barone played in one only one match in 2019 before a season-ending injury.

The 5-foot-9 midfielder finished his MSU career, which included a 2018 College Cup run, with seven goals and 15 assists in 55 starts. He earned both All-American and Big Ten Midfielder of the Year honors in 2018, and was a Hermann Trophy semifinalist.

Barone is also one of four former members of the USL 2 Flint City Bucks to go in the first-tier league’s annual draft.

Other former Bucks selected include goalkeeper Andrew Pannenberg (Orlando City, No. 49), midfielder Mitch Guitar (Chicago Fire, No. 60) and forward Leroy Enzugusi (Nashville SC, No. 86). Ex-Flint City FC midfielder Isaiah Parente also signed a homegrown contract with the defending MLS champion Columbus Crew.

loconnor@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @larryo1961