Nashville SC announce expansion protected list

NASHVILLE, TN – Ahead of Friday’s MLS Expansion Draft, Nashville SC have announced their protected list.

Expansion side St. Louis City FC will be able to select five unprotected players from around the league ahead of their debut season in 2023. Austin FC, Atlanta United, DC United, LAFC and New York City FC are all exempt from the draft after having players selected by Charlotte FC in 2021.

Nashville SC protected players

• Joe Willis
• Daniel Lovitz
• Jack Maher
• Shaq Moore
• Dave Romney
• Walker Zimmerman
• Sean Davis
• Aníbal Godoy
• Randall Leal
• Hany Mukhtar
• Fabrice-Jean Picault
• CJ Sapong
• Handwalla Bwana*
• Jacob Shaffelburg*
• Ethan Zubak* 

*Homegrown players under 25 years old are automatically protected

Nashville SC players available for selection

• Bryan Meredith
• Will Meyer
• Elliot Panicco 
• Josh Bauer
• Roberto Castellanos
• Ahmed Longmire
• Eric Miller
• Taylor Washington 
• Tah Brian Anunga
• Irakoze Donasiyano
• Luke Haakenson
• Dax McCarty
• Alex Muyl 
• Teal Bunbury
• Aké Loba
• Rodrigo Piñeiro 

The protected list doesn’t include many surprises, but does include Fafà Picault, who was just announced as Nashville’s first trade of the offseason. Among the unprotected players are club captain Dax McCarty, USL original Taylor Washington, and club-record DP signing Aké Loba.

The draft will take place at 6 pm CT on Friday, November 11.

Author: Andy Simmonsjoined Speedway Soccer after stints with Golden Goal and 615 Formation. A former journalist now in web development, Simmons also previously worked for Main Street Media and Gannett. A student of the game, Simmons has been playing soccer his entire life and participates in several adult soccer leagues around town. When he is not playing soccer, you can find him at brunch, rewatching Rick and Morty or The Office, doing a mock draft for fantasy football, or complaining about Arsenal.