The 1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft was held by Major League Baseball on October 10, 1961, to fill the rosters of the New York Mets and the Houston Colt .45s. These new franchises were set to enter the National League (NL) as part of the 1962 Major League Baseball expansion. Selections in the draft were limited to a pool of players designated by existing NL teams.

Due to the poor performance of the Mets and Colt .45s after two seasons, another draft was held for the teams on October 10, 1963. The other existing NL clubs made four players from their 40-man roster available at $30,000 apiece. A maximum of eight players could be selected between the two clubs. However, only three selections were made, two by New York and one by Houston.

1961 draft

All-Star + Regular phase, $75,000 per playerPickPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious team1Eddie BressoudIFHouston Colt .45sSan Francisco Giants2Hobie LandrithCNew York MetsSan Francisco Giants3Bob AspromonteIFHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers4Elio ChacónIFNew York MetsCincinnati Reds5Bob LillisIFHouston Colt .45sSt. Louis Cardinals6Roger CraigPNew York MetsLos Angeles Dodgers7Dick DrottPHouston Colt .45sChicago Cubs8Gus Bell*OFNew York MetsCincinnati Reds9Al HeistOFHouston Colt .45sChicago Cubs10Joe ChristopherOFNew York MetsPittsburgh Pirates11Román MejíasOFHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates12Félix MantillaIFNew York MetsMilwaukee Braves13George WilliamsIFHouston Colt .45sPhiladelphia Phillies14Gil Hodges*1BNew York MetsLos Angeles Dodgers15Jesse HickmanPHouston Colt .45sPhiladelphia Phillies16Craig AndersonPNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals17Merritt RanewCHouston Colt .45sMilwaukee Braves18Ray DaviaultPNew York MetsSan Francisco Giants19Don TaussigOFHouston Colt .45sSt. Louis Cardinals20John DeMeritOFNew York MetsMilwaukee Braves21Bobby Shantz*PHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates22Al JacksonPNew York MetsPittsburgh Pirates23Norm Larker*1BHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers24Sammy DrakeIFNew York MetsChicago Cubs25Sam Jones*PHouston Colt .45sSan Francisco Giants26Chris CannizzaroCNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals27Paul RoofPHouston Colt .45sMilwaukee Braves28Choo-Choo ColemanCNew York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies29Ken JohnsonPHouston Colt .45sCincinnati Reds30Ed Bouchee1BNew York MetsChicago Cubs31Dick Gernert1BHouston Colt .45sCincinnati Reds32Bob SmithOFNew York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies

+Regular phase, $50,000 per playerPickPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious team33Ed OlivaresIFHouston Colt .45sSt. Louis Cardinals34Sherman JonesPNew York MetsCincinnati Reds35Jim UmbrichtPHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates36Jim HickmanOFNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals37Jim GoldenPHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers

+Premium phase, $125,000 per playerPickPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious team38Joe AmalfitanoIFHouston Colt .45sSan Francisco Giants39Jay HookPNew York MetsCincinnati Reds40Turk FarrellPHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers41Bob MillerPNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals42Hal SmithCHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates43Don Zimmer*IFNew York MetsChicago Cubs44Al SpanglerOFHouston Colt .45sMilwaukee Braves45Lee Walls*IF/OFNew York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies * All-Star only before 1961 expansion draft

1963 draft All-Star + Regular phase, $30,000 per playerPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious teamBill Haas1B/OFNew York MetsLos Angeles DodgersClaude RaymondPHouston Colt. 45sMilwaukee BravesJack FisherPNew York MetsSan Francisco Giants

See also Continental League, a proposed third major league that had planned to begin play in the 1961 season

Notes

References

Further reading

External links Major League Baseball Historical Expansion Drafts Starting Fresh – The Expansion of 1962