Houston Dynamo Announce Protected List for Upcoming Expansion Draft

With the MLS Cup playoffs now having a champion in Atlanta United, the offseason is now in full swing and with it comes the many drafts the first of which being the Expansion Draft for FC Cincinnati. The Houston Dynamo recently announced the list of players they plan to protect from selection. It seems like every year now we all have to live with the dread of our Dynamo players being picked up by expansion clubs because they weren’t protected.

FC Cincinnati will select five players total and can only take one player from any one club. Here is the list of players the Houston Dynamo have chosen to protect from the draft.

MF Juan David Cabezas

MF Darwin Cerén

DF A.J. DeLaGarza

FW Alberth Elis

DF Alejandro Fuyenmayor

DF Adam Lundkvist

FW Mauro Manotas

MF Tomás Martínez

FW Ronaldo Peña

FW Romell Quioto

GK Joe Willis

Memo Rodríguez, Tyler Deric, and Erik McCue, who signed in the offseason, are not eligible for selection due to their classification as Homegrown Players. That means that this is the list of players who can be picked up by Cincinnati.

To me, the list of those protected for the most part makes sense. I was a little surprised to see Darwin Cerén protected over Oscar Boniek García, but that was pretty much my only shock.

MLS free agency also begins an hour after the expansion draft tomorrow. DaMarcus Beasley, Leonardo, and Arturo Álvarez will all be free to re-enter contract negotiations with the Dynamo or can enter talks with outside clubs for new contracts. Upcoming this week will be the Waiver Draft on Wednesday and the first stage of the Re-Entry Draft on Friday.

Who were you surprised to see protected or left off the protected list by the Dynamo? Let us know in the comments below!