The Sounders Tuesday signed St. Vincent and the Grenadines international Oalex Anderson, a 20-year-old who spent the 2015 season with Sounders FC 2 in the club’s inaugural USL campaign. He scored four goals in 16 appearances. Anderson joins fellow forward Andy Craven as the second player to make the jump from S2 to the first-team roster.
“It’s exciting to see our development system at work in signing one of our standout S2 players to the first team,” said Sounders GM Garth Lagerwey. “Oalex has a lot of potential, which he showed last season, and we’re happy to have him join the senior squad.”
Anderson started seven of 16 appearances during the 2015 season after signing April 11. The striker scored four goals in 758 minutes. Prior to joining Seattle, Anderson scored 12 goals in 18 appearances for Grenades FC in the 2014 season, playing in Antigua and Barbuda.
Anderson has 20 caps for the SVG national team since his debut in February 2014, scoring 10 international goals, including a goal against the U.S. Men’s National Team in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in November.
The Sounders also announced they have loaned defender Jimmy Ockford to the NASL New York Cosmos, while Homegrown Player Jordan Schweitzer was waived by the first team and added to S2’s roster for 2016.
A third-year pro, Ockford spent 2014 on loan with the Cosmos, scoring two goals in 10 regular-season appearances, adding an additional strike in Open Cup play.
Schweitzer was signed by the Sounders Jan. 7 after a standout collegiate career at the University of Denver.
Following a 2-2 home draw last week with Club America in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, the Sounders play the return leg Wednesday at Estadio Azteca (5 p.m. PT, FOX Sports). The Sounders need a win or a draw with at least three away goals to advance to the semifinals.
Seattle launches its 2016 MLS campaign at 4 p.m. Sunday against Sporting Kansas City at CenturyLink Field (FOX Sports 1, KIRO radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).