Toronto FC continued to add defensive depth on Monday, acquiring the rights to defender Eriq Zavaleta from the Seattle Sounders in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.
Zavaleta, 22, was drafted No. 10 overall by the Sounders in 2013 but played the 2014 campaign on loan with Chivas USA, where he made 15 starts, including back-to-back wins over Colorado and Real Salt Lake last October. The Sounders had declined Zavaleta's contract option after last season.
"Adding a player like Eriq gives us another defender with MLS experience," Toronto FC general manager TIm Bezbatchenko said in a club statement. "He is a young and versatile player with the ability to both defend and attack."
Zavaleta scored 18 goals for Indiana in his final collegiate season of 2012, helping the Hoosiers to the national championship, but he has settled in at center back as a professional.
Earlier on Monday, Toronto announced the signing of French-Polish defender Damien Perquis to bolster a back line that allowed 1.59 goals per game last season, 15th out of the league's 19 clubs. Toronto also drafted French defender Clément Simonin (NC State) and Canadian defender Skylar Thomas (Syracuse) in the first round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and right back Wes Charpie (South Florida) in the second round.
Zavaleta is the nephew of Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney.
