FC Cincinnati’s roster-building process accelerates Tuesday with the selection of five players in the 2018 Major League Soccer expansion draft.
The Ohio side, which moves from the United Soccer League to MLS for the 2019 season, has locked up some of its USL mainstays in the first few weeks of the offseason, but it hasn’t made a splash yet.
Alan Koch and his staff won’t likely do that on Tuesday either, but there are some intriguing names to go after to join Fanendo Adi and Fatai Alashe as players with recent MLS experience on the roster.
As we’ve seen in the last few expansion drafts, Cincinnati can also select players as assets to make deals with other clubs in exchange for allocation money and draft picks.
In 2017, LAFC kept three of its five picks, while Atlanta United kept a trio from 2016 and Minnesota United traded all but one of their selections before the 2017 season.
After breaking down the immediate needs of the club and how certain players fit in with their salaries, we selected five ideal options for the MLS newcomers to choose on Tuesday afternoon.
Jeff Larentowicz, Atlanta United
One of the most experienced players left exposed for the expansion draft is coming off his second MLS Cup title.
Atlanta United midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, one of 13 players left unprotected by the MLS Cup champions, would be an ideal fit as a veteran player with a vast knowledge of MLS and how to get through an expansion season.
Selecting the 35-year-old would be a bit risky because of his age and the $210,000 he made in 2018, per the MLS player salary database, but if Cincinnati is opting to go with a roster of players it trusts from USL, it needs some experience throughout the squad.
The MLS expansion side could also use a Larentowicz selection as part of a deal to get allocation money back from Atlanta United.
We’ve seen moves like this in past expansion drafts, where teams select a player with the intention of trading him back to his former club in exchange for allocation money, or possibly a protected player.
Marquinhos Pedroso, FC Dallas
Finding a reliable fullback is a risky proposition in MLS, but if an expansion team is able to get a solid player on the defensive flank, it could be a game changer.
With FC Dallas looking to tear its roster apart and turn in a younger direction, Marquinhos Pedroso is a tempting option for Cincinnati after he was left unprotected on Monday.
The 25-year-old Brazilian started all 13 games he played in after joining FC Dallas in July, and he impressed with his play at left back.
However, the risk with Pedroso is he made $330,000 in base salary last season, and with other positions still in need of filling, he might be deemed too expensive.
But if the cost is right and Cincinnati feels like it won’t have a better way to pick up a full back, Pedroso is the guy.
Tristan Blackmon, LAFC
On the other end of the full back spectrum is Tristan Blackmon, who was left exposed by LAFC after one year with the franchise.
Taking Blackmon on Tuesday would have a similar feel to making an early draft pick, as he was the No. 3 selection in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.
Blackmon wasn’t able to work his way into Bob Bradley’s first team on a consistent basis, and there’s no guarantee he’ll end up in the star-studded XI in 2019.
At $67,500, Blackmon is one of the cheapest options on the exposed players list, and he comes with more upside than most of the players available.
If Cincinnati is committed to building its initial roster without too many stars, Blackmon would be a perfect fit, as he’d be given time to develop and a needed boost of confidence from a team willing to believe in him for a whole season.
Joe Bendik, Orlando City
FC Cincinnati is in need of a goalkeeper and Joe Bendik isn’t returning to Orlando City.
If Koch and his staff want a trustworthy netminder with plenty of experience, this pick should be made to ease any concern about struggling to find a player at the position.
Bendik carries 170 games of MLS experience under his belt, and he made over 100 saves in two of his three seasons with the Lions.
At a base salary of $180,000 Bendik might be a little on the expensive side for what Cincinnati wants to spend, but sometimes you have to pay more than you want for a player.
Sebastien Ibeagha, New York City
If Cincinnati go after a few high-priced players in the expansion draft, it also has to dig for some value.
That’s where New York City FC defender Sebastien Ibeagha comes into play, as he made 26 appearances for Dome Torrent’s side while making $67,500 in 2018.
Ibeagha is one of a few players Cincinnati know more about in the expansion draft pool, as he won the 2017 USL Defender of the Year with San Antonio FC.
By taking a player his staff is somewhat familiar with, Koch will spend less time figuring out how to integrate Ibeagha into his squad, and he’ll also be able to play to the defender’s strengths right away in training.
Ibeagha also fits the model of player Cincinnati is adding to its roster, as it made cost-efficient signings who have familiarity with the group, or vice versa.