Houston Dynamo FC has protected 12 players in advance of Tuesday’s MLS Expansion Draft. By protecting the players, they cannot be selected by Austin FC, Major League Soccer’s 27th club and the third in the Lone Star State. The Expansion Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 15.
The full list of protected players is available below in alphabetical order.
Houston Dynamo Football Club Protected Players
FW Mateo Bajamich
MF Darwin Cerén
FW Niko Hansen
DF Sam Junqua
FW Ari Lassiter
DF Adam Lundkvist
GK Marko Marić
GK Michael Nelson
FW Darwin Quintero
FW Christian Ramirez
DF Zarek Valentin
MF MatÃas Vera
Additionally, Dynamo Academy alumni Erik McCue, Marcelo Palominoand Memo Rodriguez are classified as Homegrown Players and are not eligible for selection. Homegrown Players are defined by the draft rules procedures as players age 25 and under on a club’s roster at the end of the 2020 MLS Season. The three Dynamo Academy products did not have to be included on the list of protected players for Tuesday’s draft.
Austin FC may select up to five players from the eligible MLS player pool on Tuesday. Only a single player can be drafted from any one club. A full overview of the 2020 MLS Expansion Draft is available here.
