1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft

1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft
General information
SportBaseball
Date(s)October 10, 1961
Overview
45 (plus three selections in 1963) total selections
First selectionEddie Bressoud (Houston Colt .45s)
← 1960
1968 →

The 1961 MLB 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, the new franchises which would enter the league in the 1962 season. The pool of players out of which they could select was limited to the existing National League ballclubs.[1]

Due to the poor performance of the Mets and Colt .45s after two seasons, another draft was held for the teams. The other existing National League clubs made four players from their 40-man roster available at $30,000 apiece. Only eight players could be selected between the two clubs.[2]

  1. ^ "Mets, Colts Pay $3,650,000 For 45 Players: New York Lands Hodges, Bouchee, Bell and Craig". Meriden Record. Meriden-Wallingford, Connecticut. Associated Press (AP). October 11, 1961. p. 4. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  2. ^ "The Palm Beach Post - Google News Archive Search". Archived from the original on January 24, 2013.