Photo by John Geliebter/USA TODAY Sports

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

The MLS player landscape is about to undergo a noticeable makeover.

New York City FC and Orlando City will partake on Wednesday in the Expansion Draft ahead of their inaugural seasons in MLS in 2015. The two clubs will be able to add more talent to their still-developing rosters, and there is plenty of talent to be had from the draft that includes 240 players.

Diego Fagundez is one of those players that has been left exposed, but the New England Revolution have supposedly made some trades with New York City and Orlando to ensure that the talented youngster remains at the club he has spent his entire professional career at.

While that takes away one quality option from which to chose from, there are still several players that will garner heavy consideration and probable selections. Whether it’s Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath or D.C. United’s enigmatic Designated Player Eddie Johnson, New York City FC and Orlando City will have no shortage of options to select from.

Here is a look at just some of the best available talent in the MLS Expansion Draft:

ZAC MACMATH, Goalkeeper

The 23-year-old MacMath might be the best available player in the draft due to his talent, age and experience. He hasn’t been one of the league’s best in recent years, but made significant progress with the Philadelphia Union and is worth picking up given that he could be a No. 1 goalkeeper immediately or in the future.

TIM CAHILL, Midfielder

After an MVP-caliber season in 2013, Cahill suffered a massive dip in form for the New York Red Bulls. While he scored impressive goals this year for country, Cahill could not replicate that form for club and saw a diminished role down the stretch. The Australian is talented enough to be taken, but there are questions about his future in MLS and his age, 35, might be enough to scare teams off.

EDDIE JOHNSON, Forward

Physically-gifted and boasting plenty of MLS experience, Johnson would seem like a tempting pick, especially for Orlando, but there are serious concerns about his consistency and ability to jel with a team. Johnson, 30, was only with D.C. United for one season, and the club already seems willing to part ways with their Designated Player forward.

COREY ASHE, Defender

Ashe is not only a well-seasoned player who has been a part of plenty of successful Houston Dynamo teams in his eight years in the league, but also plays a position, left back, that is not always the easiest to fill. Ashe is still young enough at 28 to have several more serviceable years in him, and is very likely to be taken as a result.

Here are some other notable players that are available:

Ben Speas (midfielder)
Raul Fernandez (goalkeeper)
Dan Gargan (defender)
Heath Pearce (defender)
A.J. Soares (defender)
Peguy Luyindula (midfielder)
Austin Berry (defender)
Conor Casey (forward)
Ned Grabavoy (midfielder)
Chris Winger (defender)
Jon Busch (goalkeeper)
Dominic Oduro (winger)
Jackson (winger)
Sebastian Fernandez (midfielder)

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