1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft
The 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 Mets and the Colt .45s (later renamed the Astros) were new franchises for the 1962 season. The pool of players out of which the Mets and Colt .45s could select was limited to the existing National League ballclubs.
Houston Colt 45s
Regular phase
- $75,000 per player
- Eddie Bressoud, infielder, San Francisco Giants
- Bob Aspromonte, infielder, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Bob Lillis, infielder, St. Louis Cardinals
- Dick Drott, pitcher, Chicago Cubs
- Al Heist, outfielder, Chicago Cubs
- Roman Mejias, outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates
- George Williams, infielder, Philadelphia Phillies
- Jesse Hickman, pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies
- Merritt Ranew, catcher, Milwaukee Braves
- Don Taussig, outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals
- Bobby Shantz, pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Norm Larker, infielder, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Sam Jones, pitcher, San Francisco Giants
- Paul Roof, pitcher, Milwaukee Braves
- Ken Johnson, pitcher, Cincinnati Reds
- Dick Gernert, infielder, Cincinnati Reds
- Ed Olivares, infielder, St. Louis Cardinals
- Jim Umbricht, pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Jim Golden, pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers
Premium phase
- $125,000 per player
- Joe Amalfitano, infielder, San Francisco Giants
- Dick Farrell, pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Hal Smith, catcher, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Al Spangler, outfielder, Milwaukee Braves