[Pelican]

Probably too late, if you are already into it; but I structure expansion so that the new teams have an evolving farm system for several years before the first season of the MLB expansion team. The future expansion teams even participate in the amateur draft and the international free agent pool. [This is how I think MLB expansion should be done…] So, for example, three years before the first MLB season, you draft players, put them on developmental league teams. You have a low- A minor league team that you stock with minor league free agents. The next year you add a high-A team, with a few of your draftees advancing, more minor league free agents to fill out the roster. The next year, you add an AA team. By the time you get to the expansion draft, you have some idea of your organizational strengths and weaknesses, and you draft accordingly.

You will need capable veterans, because few if any of your draftees and other guys in the organization will be ready. And the last thing you want to do is pressure young guys by bringing them up too early - especially pitchers. Price might be an extreme example, but you will need veteran SP who can give you innings. Apart from the expansion draft, look at signing a FA to a single year contract or two years at the most. By then, your young studs should be ready.

The quality and potential of you expansion team will in large measure be determined by [1] the rules of the expansion draft; and [2] position in the amateur draft. As to the latter, I would choose “expansion teams draft first” because, realistically, they are going to be weak, and deserve it. And nothing better to jump-start an organization that getting a Bryce Harper or Juan Soto. As to the first, I only let teams protect twelve guys (remembering that guys with less than three years service are normally exempt), with no more than three from a team, and of course protect another guy for each one lost. This will result in some very good players being exposed - usually ones with large contracts.

With the above approach, my expansion teams are close to competitive, right out of the box. That wide-open expansion draft also promotes parity, as the deepest teams generally lose more players.

Incidentally, the biggest mistake I made in the expansion draft was taking too many players with MLB contracts who had to go on the forty-man roster. I literally had to release guys for lack of a roster spot. Moral of the story is don’t forget to look for other marginal players to draft, as well. Or remove the three-year service time exemption, for a true free-for-all. (I would increase protected players to 15 or 18, in that event.)