Much to the chagrin of Jonah Keri, the recent retirements of Nick Johnson and Brian Schneider reduced the number of former Montreal Expos still playing baseball by two. By my unofficial count, there are only 14 players left in the majors and minors who once suited up in the blue, white, and red of Nos Amours.

Another very exclusive group is those players still playing who were drafted or originally signed by the Expos. Again by my unofficial count, there are 17 players under contract with a MLB organization for the 2013 season, and all but two of them spent time in Harrisburg on their way up the chain.

Here they are with their current organization in parentheses and the year and method they became part of the Expo family:

Miguel Batista (COL) 1988 – FA
Jamey Carroll (MIN) 1996 Draft – 14th Round
Wilson Valdez (SFG) 1997 – FA
Armando Galarraga (CIN) 1998 – FA
Brandon Phillips (CIN) 1999 Draft – 2nd Round
Cliff Lee (PHI) 2000 Draft – 4th Round
Shawn Hill (DET) 2000 Draft – 6th Round
Jason Stevenson (SFG) 2000 Draft – 12th Round
Jason Bay (SEA) 2000 Draft – 22nd Round
Roger Bernadina (WAS) 2001 – FA
Clint Everts (TOR) 2002 Draft – 1st Round
Mike O’Connor (MIN) 2002 Draft – 7th Round
Luke Montz (OAK) 2003 Draft – 17th Round
Bill Bray (WAS) 2004 Draft – 1st Round
Collin Balester (TEX) 2004 Draft – 4th Round
Ian Desmond (WAS) 2004 Draft – 3rd Round
Atahualpa Severino (KCR) 2004 – FA

There are still a small number of players that remain unsigned as of today (like Grady Sizemore and Val Pascucci) who could bump that number up, but the harsh reality is that every year that number will dwindle down until there are no more Expos left.