Damion Lowe - File

DANIEL ISLAND, South Carolina, USA:

Rough rookie edges aside, Jamaican Damion Lowe has so far exceeded Seattle Sounders' expectations, and the Major League Soccer (MLS) club believes the 20-year-old defender will push for significant playing time his first season in North America's premier professional football competition.

Lowe, the Sounders' top pick, eighth overall, in January's MLS SuperDraft, has impressed with his ability, awareness, attitude and work ethic, according to Seattle, fitting in comfortably on and off the field.

The revelation has prompted Seattle to believe, despite its depth at central defence, the former Camperdown High, Harbour View and University of Hartford player could have meaningful impact well beyond the 2014 MLS campaign.

"Damion is definitely the centre back of our future," said Ezra Hendrickson, a former St Vincent international and MLS player currently assistant coach at Seattle.

"He's been coming along very well, at a faster pace than we expected. If he continues on this curve that he's been going we, will definitely see him playing (this season)."

At 6' 3", 175 pounds, Lowe impressed during three years at college and last month's MLS Player Combine. Preseason has bolstered his credentials.

"We saw the talent there," said Hendrickson Saturday during a tournament featuring MLS clubs Seattle, DC United and Houston Dynamo, plus host Charleston Battery of lower-level United Soccer Leagues.

pleasant surprise

"But we didn't expect that he would be able to step on to the field in the professional environment and show it this early as he has. So that is a pleasant surprise for us."

Lowe's deficiencies, according to Hendrickson, can be resolved with practice and experience.

"With the ball, he needs to improve," the coach said. "He has some tendencies that we have to pull back a little bit on, maybe sometimes a little too aggressive in the (penalty) box."

But his upside is booming.

"He reads the play so well," said Hendrickson. "He's going to be a top-notch defender in this league."

Lowe, an unused substitute in the Sounders' first game of the tournament, called the transition to the pros "good." The club welcomed him "as a family" and he is learning from both playing and watching.

"Even though I didn't play," he said Saturday. "I took a lot of positives from the game."

The jump from college to pro, means a step up in quality.

"The speed of play, it's a different level of thinking and execution," Lowe said. "It's way better."

He agreed he needs to improve his passing game, but believes he's has grown with Seattle.

"I'm getting stronger every day," said Lowe, a Jamaica under-20 international. "In MLS guys close you down very quickly, while in the college league you get a lot of time and space on the ball. But I'm still getting used to the system."