2010 MLS Expansion Mock Draft For Portland Timbers And Vancouver Whitecaps

by Martin Shatzer on Nov 24, 2025 9:00 AM EST

Mike Stobe - Getty Images for New York Red Bu

I don't know if Portland or Vancouver would select Juan Pablo Angel, but I sure would.

There's one reason why I haven't been hired as a general manager for a Major League Soccer expansion club yet. Because no one knew my real name before!

Well guess what. I'm Martin Shatzer, I'll do the job for a salary equal to that of Pablo Hernandez, and I await your call.
I don't make any claims on knowing the styles of play or preferences of John Spencer or Teitur Thordarson. I draft my players based on the premise that I'd like to have players who will win more games than they'll lose. It's truly a shock that no one has tried this before. The Philadelphia Union didn't pick a single player from my mock draft last year, and they missed the playoffs. No coincidence there. Sebastian Le Toux? Who needs him! My team had guys like Luciano Emilio and Dave van den Bergh.

Read on for the list of players that I would draft if I were general manager of the Portland Timbers and/or Vancouver Whitecaps.

Portland:

1. Dax McCarty (Dallas, M)
3. Patrick Ianni (Seattle, D/M)
5. Cristian Arrieta (Philadelphia, D)
7. Chad Barrett (Toronto, F)
9. Arturo Alvarez (San Jose, F/M)
11. Mariano Trujillo (Chivas, D)
13. Corey Ashe (Houston, M)
15. Tim Ward (San Jose, D)
17. Peter Lowry (Chicago, M)
19. Seth Sinovic (NE, D)

Vancouver:

2. Juan Pablo Angel (New York, F)
4. Collen Warner (Salt Lake, M)
6. Anthony Wallace (Colorado, D)
8. Nathan Sturgis (Seattle, D/M)
10. Jesus Padilla (Chivas, M)
12. Robbie Russell (Salt Lake, D)
14. Eric Avila (Dallas, M)
16. Troy Perkins (DC, G)
18. Kevin Burns (Columbus, M)
20. Birahim Diop (Kansas City, D)

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Read More: Peter Lowry (MIDFIELDER - Portland Timbers), Kevin Burns (MIDFIELDER - COL), Troy Perkins (GOALKEEPER - Portland Timbers), Birahim Diop (MIDFIELDER - Sporting Kansas City), Seth Sinovic (DEFENDER - revolution), Juan Pablo Angel (F - LOS), Jesus Padilla (MIDFIELDER - CHV), Mariano Trujillo (DEFENDER - CHV), Eric Avila (MIDFIELDER - DAL), Corey Ashe (MIDFIELDER - HOU), Robbie Russell (DEFENDER - REA), Collen Warner (MIDFIELDER - REA), Chad Barrett (F - TOR), Patrick Ianni (DEFENDER - SEA), Nathan Sturgis (DEFENDER - TOR), Cristian Arrieta (DEFENDER - Philadelphia Union), Arturo Alvarez (F - REA), DC United, Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps

Comments

I’m sure Union fans would enjoy this outcome. Shea Salinas safe and Cristian Arrieta gone.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Nov 24, 2025 9:01 AM EST reply actions

Salinas gone

Tough luck, brother.

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

And you're stuck with Seitz for another year!

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:21 PM EST up reply actions

The mock draft on the MLS site has them as follows:

Portland

1) McCarty (DAL)
2) Wallace (COL)
3) Sturgis (SEA)
4) Nimo (RSL)
5) Schuler (RSL)
6) Ward (SJ)
7) Thomas (SKC)
8) Sassano (NY)
9) Ashe (HOU)
10) Sinovic (NE)

Vancouver

1) De Guzman (TFC)
2) Nkufo (SEA)
3) Davies (DAL)
4) Onstad (HOU)
5) Griffit (CLB)
6) Salinas (PHI)
7) LaBauex (COL)
8) Padilla (CHV)
9) Lowry (CHI)
10) Ubiparipovic (NY)

"DON'T SAY THAT! Please! That is the worst, most stupid thing anyone could say! Cause it quite clearly isn't "only a game." I mean if it was do you honestly think I'd care this much?"

by Bald Pollack on Nov 24, 2025 9:05 AM EST reply actions

I guess that would mean that Portland is attempting to compete with DC for the fewest goals scored in a season of all time? Seriously, there’s not a single player on that list for the Timbers that is likely to score more than 3-4 goals.

Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.

by Martin Shatzer on Nov 24, 2025 10:31 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Hooray!

DC would get to keep all its players that helped contribute to our anti-dynasty!

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

Juan Pablo Angel ?

by Nick Pirce on Nov 24, 2025 10:25 AM EST reply actions

Absolutely

Dude could score 10 goals even on an expansion team. His 58 goal total over the past four seasons is 11 goals more than any other player in MLS. It sounds like he wants to keep playing in the U.S. Why not give him the chance?

Plus, other than Barrett, there really aren’t many other proven scoring options available.

Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.

by Martin Shatzer on Nov 24, 2025 10:41 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

You'd have him playing in Canada

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

America Junior

Black and Red United

by ChestRockwell on Nov 24, 2025 11:43 AM EST up reply actions

Haha, touche

Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.

by Martin Shatzer on Nov 24, 2025 12:17 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Union=BLOWN

Philadelphia has to be a little ticked that they didn’t get this many quality options last year.
An expansion draft with Dax, Angel, Nkufo, Findley, Barrett, de Guzman, Schelotto, Perkins, Cunningham, Onstad, Davies (The list goes on and on) is a pretty nice draft. Last year Philly’s number one pick was used on Alejandro Moreno and there are 5 strikers on this year’s list I would pick over him.

But to be fair I don’t know how the expansion draft works, but it doesn’t sound so hard.

by Zach J on Nov 24, 2025 12:48 PM EST reply actions

Keeping myself entertained before the draft (1:45pm)

Portland
1. Dax McCarty (FCD) - FCD protects Daniel Hernandez
2. Corey Ashe (HOU) - HOU protects Dominic Oduro
3. Patrick Ianni (SEA) - SEA protects Sanna Nyassi
4. Chad Barrett (TFC) - TFC protects Julian De Guzman
5. Jimmy Conrad (SKC) - SKC protects Shavar Thomas
6. Atiba Harris (FCD) - FCD off the board
7. Leonardo Gonzalez (SEA) - SEA off the board
8. Wells Thompson (COL) - COL protects Anthony Wallace
9. Carl Robinson (NY) - NY off the board
10. Kheli Dube (NE) - NE protects Ilija Stolica

Vancouver
1. Eric Brunner (CLB) - CLB protects Kevin Burns
2. Juan Pablo Angel (NY) - NY protects Salou Ibrahim
3. Ned Grabavoy (RSL) - RSL protects Andy Williams
4. Pat Onstad (HOU) - HOU off the board
5. O’Brian White (TFC) - TFC off the board
6. Robbie Russell (RSL) - RSL off the board
7. Dema Kovalenko (LA) - LA protects Mike Magee
8. Fred (PHI) - PHI protects Shea Salinas
9. Josh Wolff (SKC) - SKC off the board
10. Arturo Alvarez (SJ)

Black and Red United

by ChestRockwell on Nov 24, 2025 1:27 PM EST reply actions

First pick and protection right

Seattle loses Nyassi, not Ianni.

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:07 PM EST up reply actions

Only got McCarty and White correct), but Brunner, Harris, and Alvarez were all taken too. About what I expected.

Black and Red United

by ChestRockwell on Nov 24, 2025 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

It scares me that I think either of these teams could probably beat the 2010 D.C. United.

A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.

by Jake Shapiro on Nov 24, 2025 1:57 PM EST reply actions

Also, I haven’t quite been keeping up with RBNY. Why is Angel unprotected?

A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.

by Jake Shapiro on Nov 24, 2025 2:00 PM EST reply actions

Angel has said this is his last year with NYRB. No point in protecting someone who isn’t going to resign

by Zach J on Nov 24, 2025 2:07 PM EST up reply actions

Ah. Okay. Like Allsopp.

A Capital Wasteland - art & hockey from Washington, D.C.

by Jake Shapiro on Nov 24, 2025 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Bingo. Though I would protect Angel over Allsopp anyday

by Zach J on Nov 24, 2025 2:23 PM EST up reply actions

There goes Atiba Harris

Dallas already off the board. Should Vancouver ever reach MLS Cup, now they have a guy that can absolutely disappear in it. Can’t pass that up.

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:11 PM EST reply actions

I've been impressed with Avila

Dallas is lucky to hang on to him.

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Once a team is getting picked from once, they're getting picked from again right away

FCD, CLB, and SEA all off the board.

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:16 PM EST reply actions

Portland takes Anthony Wallace

Vancouver to close out the Rapids now? Maybe a Claudio Lopez?

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:18 PM EST reply actions

Horst gone to Portland

Not a bad idea to take a guy from the MLS’s best defense.

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:23 PM EST reply actions

Wasn't Alex Nimo from RSL considered a sure thing to go to Portland?

by Brendanukkah on Nov 24, 2025 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

Nimo declared that he would retire if he had to play anywhere but Portland. That means that RSL has almost no leverage in the situation. Portland got 2 RSL players (well…2 if Findley doesn’t go abroad, which seems unlikely) without having to use a pick on Nimo. I’d expect Nimo to go to Portland in a minor trade sometime soon.

Black and Red United

by ChestRockwell on Nov 24, 2025 4:23 PM EST up reply actions