VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Sunday the list of 11 protected players for this year’s MLS Expansion Draft, including Designated Player striker Kei Kamara who was acquired earlier today during the league’s four-hour trade window.
The MLS Expansion Draft will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m. PT.
In addition to the 11 protected players, the ‘Caps also have seven players who are exempt from the Expansion Draft due to their Homegrown status or in the case of recently-acquired Venezuelan striker Anthony Blondell, his contract not beginning until 2018.
Expansion side Los Angeles Football Club can select up to five players from the eligible pool. Once one player has been claimed from a club’s non-protected roster, that club is eliminated from the Expansion Draft and may not lose any further players.
Whitecaps FC Protected Players:
1. Aly Ghazal (CM)
2. Erik Hurtado (FW)
3. Kei Kamara (FW)
4. Stefan Marinovic (GK)
5. Nicolas Mezquida (AM)
6. Fredy Montero (FW)
7. Jake Nerwinski (RB)
8. Tim Parker (CB)
9. Yordy Reyna (AM)
10. Tony Tchani (CM)
11. Kendall Waston (CB)
Whitecaps FC maintain Montero’s MLS rights after the conclusion of his one-year loan from Chinese Super League club Tianjin Teda.
Automatically Protected Players:
1. Sam Adekugbe (LB) – Homegrown
2. Anthony Blondell (FW) – 2018 signing
3. Marco Bustos (AM) 1 – Homegrown
4. Alphonso Davies (W) – Homegrown
5. Ben McKendry (CM) 1 – Homegrown
6. David Norman Jr. (CM) – Homegrown, 2018 signing
7. Russell Teibert (CM) – Homegrown
Available Players:
1. Christian Bolanos (W) 1
2. Marcel de Jong (LB)
3. David Edgar (CB) 1
4. Deybi Flores (CM) 3
5. Kyle Greig (FW) 1
6. Jordan Harvey (LB) 2
7. Bernie Ibini (W)
8. Nosa Igiebor (CM) 1
9. Andrew Jacobson (CM) 2
10. Matias Laba (CM) 1
11. Brett Levis (LB/W)
12. Aaron Maund (CB)
13. David Ousted (GK) 1
14. Spencer Richey (GK) 4
15. Mauro Rosales (W) 1
16. Cole Seiler (CB) 1
17. Brek Shea (W)
18. Cristian Techera (W)
19. Sheanon Williams (RB) 1
1 2018 option was not exercised
2 MLS Free Agent
3 On loan with Honduran Liga Nacional side Club Deportivo Motagua through June 30, 2018
4 On loan with USL side FC Cincinnati through December 31, 2018
