After reporting for preseason at the beginning of January, Rapids 2 traveled to Bradenton, Florida, on February 5 to carry out phase two of their preseason training. The current roster of signed players will be joined by select players from the Rapids first team, the Rapids Academy and players invited to train with the team.
Here are all the players who will be based in Florida for the team’s preseason training camp.
Current Roster - Players signed to professional contracts
Robinson Aguirre
Date of Birth: 11/23/2004
Position: Midfielder
Notes: A promising midfield talent, Aguirre was a consistent presence for Rapids 2 in their inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season. The 18-year-old has already made his international debut for El Salvador’s national team, entering as a late substitute in a 4–0 friendly loss to Guatemala on April 24, 2022. Aguirre joined the Rapids organization as a U-16 Academy player.
Daouda Amadou
Date of Birth: 10/02/2002
Position: Midfielder
Notes: Amadou joined the team in April of 2022 from Czech side MFK Vyskov and became an integral part of the Rapids 2 core, adding three assists in his 15 appearances (10 starts). His international experience includes four appearances for Cameroon in the 2020 UNIFFAC U-20 tournament and two appearances in the 2019 U-17 World Cup matches versus Tajikistan and Spain. Amadou notably claimed the man of the match award in the final of the 2019 African Cup of Nations where he logged five appearances with Cameroon’s U-17 National Team in their run to the title.
Remi Cabral
Date of Birth: 07/10/1999
Position: Midfielder
Notes: Cabral, 23, arrives in Colorado after spending the past two seasons with USL Championship side LA Galaxy II. During his time in Los Angeles, Cabral made 56 appearances across all competitions, recording eight goals and two assists. Born in Paris, France, Cabral spent his youth career with Paris Saint-German’s U-17 and U-19 sides before signing with FC Metz B in France’s Ligue 1 in 2017, where he recorded three goals in 26 appearances. In 2018, Cabral joined Valenciennes FC, where he scored two goals in four appearances. The Frenchman now joins his twin brother Kevin Cabral in Colorado after Kevin recently signed a first team contract with the Rapids.
Caique de Brito Cerqueira
Date of Birth: 06/27/2004
Position: Forward
Notes: The 18-year-old striker joins Rapids 2 after spending the start of the 2023 season with Canaã’s U-20 side where he has scored one goal in his three matches thus far. During the 2022 season, Caique played in 12 matches for CA Votuporanguense’s U-20 side in the Campeonato Paulista Série A3 where he added one goal to his offensive stat line. The formative years of his playing career from 2019 to 2021 were spent with Atlético Mineiro’s U-15 and U-17 sides. He played in 11 matches for the club over the course of three seasons.
Daniel Chacón
Date of Birth: 4/11/2001
Position: Midfielder
Notes: Chacón, 21, joined Rapids 2 in June of 2022 but was immediately loaned back to his former club in Costa Rica, C.S. Cartaginés, for the remainder of the season ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. A former member of the U-17, U-20 and U-23 Costa Rican national teams, Chacón made his senior international debut on January 31, 2022, in Los Ticos’ 0-0 draw with Mexico in World Cup Qualifying. In March 2022, Chacón started and played 90 minutes as a defensive midfielder in Costa Rica’s 2-0 win over the United States and played the final 33 minutes in their 1-0 victory over Canada, earning the team a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Intercontinental Playoff. Costa Rica went on to secure the final spot in the 2022 World Cup after earning a 1-0 victory over New Zealand, which saw Chacón play 16 minutes of the final qualifying match. Chacón was called up to Costa Rica’s World Cup squad and made his tournament debut in the final minute of Costa Rica’s 1-0 Group E win over Japan.
Yosuke Hanya
Date of Birth: 1/30/1999
Position: Midfielder
Notes: Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, midfielder Yosuke Hanya was named the first-ever Rapids 2 Player of the Year. Hanya was a staple of the Rapids 2 attack for the 2022 season, scoring the team’s first-ever goal in its inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season. The Japanese international led the team with 22 starts, adding four goals and four assists in his time on the pitch.
Blake Malone
Date of Birth: 03/23/2001
Position: Defender
Notes: A commanding and explosive center back, Malone is entering his second season in Burgundy after joining the Rapids in May 2022. Previous to his time with Rapids 2, Malone spent one season with USL League One side Union Omaha where he made 13 appearances leading up to the USL League One championship match. The 21-year-old centerback integrated quickly into the Rapids 2 squad, logging 15 starts and adding one assist during the team’s inaugural season.
Dillon Serna
Date of Birth: 03/25/1994
Position: Midfielder
Notes: The first-ever Rapids 2 signing, Serna is a product of the Rapids Academy and former first team Homegrown Player. The 28-year-old made his MLS debut in 2013 and went on to make 112 appearances across all competitions during his seven seasons with the Rapids, recording 12 goals and three assists in that span. Following his departure from the club in 2019, Serna signed with Sporting Kansas City II in the USL Championship where he made 15 appearances and provided four assists during the condensed 2020 season. Serna returned to Colorado to join Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC ahead of the 2021 season, but an injury suffered in preseason limited him to eight appearances that year. During the 2022 season, Serna made one appearance for Rapids 2 before sustaining an injury to his left tibia that prevented him from playing the rest of the season.
Marlon Vargas
Date of Birth: 1/21/2001
Position: Midfielder
Notes: A recent Rapids 2 signing from Tacoma Defiance, Vargas will be joining the first team’s preseason camp following a breakout season in which he led Tacoma’s attack with 13 goals and six assists and earned a spot on the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro Best XI list. The 22-year-old brings with him international experience, having previously been called up to El Salvador’s senior national team during the 2021 season.
Current Roster - Players signed to amateur/academy contracts
Cain Castellon
Date of Birth: 02/17/2005
Position: Midfielder
Notes: Castellon, 17, joined the Rapids organization in 2021 after spending a majority of his youth career with Real Colorado. During the 2022 season, Castellon split time between the U-17 Rapids Academy team and Rapids 2. The young midfielder made his professional debut with Rapids 2 on June 4, 2022, playing five minutes in the team’s match versus North Texas SC. He ended the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro with five appearances for the club’s second team.
Keith Chavarria
Date of Birth: 09/15/2005
Position: Midfielder
Notes: Chavarria joined the Colorado Rapids Academy as a U-12 player from his former club Colorado Rush. The midfielder occupied a starting position on the club’s U-17 team during the 2021/22 season, adding four goals in his 52 appearances for the MSL NEXT squad. Chavarria spent a significant amount of time training with Rapids 2 during its inaugural season and made three appearances as a substitute for the MLS NEXT Pro team.
Steve Flores
Date of Birth: 11/03/2003
Position: Defender
Notes: A native of Denver, Colorado, Flores joined the Rapids organization as a U-12 player. During his time with the club, Flores made the MLS NEXT National Quarterfinals with the Rapids U-17 Academy team and took home a Generation Adidas Cup title with the U-17s in the same season. Flores joined Rapids 2 for its inaugural season and recorded nine starts in his 17 appearances with the second team.
Daniel Garcia
Date of Birth: 8/19/2004
Position: Defender
Notes: The Fort Collins, Colorado, native joined the Rapids organization as a U-12 player and logged 13 appearances for Rapids 2 in MLS NEXT Pro last year. Prior to that, the 18-year-old defender was loaned to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC during the 2021 season. Garcia made the MLS NEXT National Quarterfinals with the Rapids U-17 Academy team as well as the U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Semifinals with the Rapids U-15 team.
Josh Hardin
Date of Birth: 01/10/2005
Position: Defender
Notes: Hardin is going on his second year in Burgundy having joined the club as a U-17 player in 2021. In his first season with the club, Hardin split time competing with the U-17 team in the Rapids Academy and recording four appearances for Rapids 2 in its first MLS NEXT Pro season. Hardin made his professional debut on June 18, 2022, against Tacoma Defiance.
Connor Miller
Date of Birth: 11/30/2004
Position: Midfielder
Notes: A long-standing member of the Rapids organization, Miller joined the academy as a U-12 player. Since joining, Miller has competed in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Semi Finals with the Rapids U-15 Academy team while going undefeated in the same season. In addition, the 18-year-old midfielder earned a spot in the MLS NEXT National Quarterfinals and took home a Generation Adidas Cup title with the Rapids U-17 Academy team. Most recently, Miller spent time with the Rapids MLS NEXT Pro team, earning 12 starts last season.
Pariss Mitchell
Date of Birth: 01/26/2005
Position: Midfielder
Notes: A newcomer to Colorado, Mitchell joins the Rapids organization for his first season in Burgundy. The Ontario, Canada, native spent a significant amount of time with Toronto FC during his youth career and most recently competed with Vaughan SC where he scored one goal during the 2022 season. Mitchell recently announced his commitment to Wake Forest men’s soccer as a member of the incoming 2023 recruiting class.
Jack Sullivan
Date of Birth: 05/18/2005
Position: Midfielder
Notes: Sullivan made a splash last year, earning the honor of being named the 2022 Rapids Academy Player of the Year. The 17-year-old Maryland native, was a major contributor to the U-17 Rapids Academy team, adding five goals and three assists over the course of the 2021/22 season. Sullivan’s strong performances in the midfield ultimately earned him a professional debut for Rapids 2 on June 4, 2022, against North Texas SC. He made nine additional appearances, including one start for the MLS NEXT Pro team.
Rapids First Team Players
Oliver Larraz
Date of Birth: 9/16/2001
Position: Midfielder
Notes: A Denver native, Larraz signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Rapids ahead of the 2021 season and made his professional debut on May 15 of that year. The 20-year-old made four appearances for the club while spending the bulk of the 2021 season on loan with San Diego Loyal SC in the USL Championship. Larraz, now entering his third year as a professional, will look to build on his past progress after missing the 2022 season due to a tibia fracture.
Jackson Travis
Date of Birth: 2/23/2004
Position: Defender
Notes: The dynamic, left-footed fullback enters his second season in Colorado. Travis is the 16th player in club history to sign a Homegrown Player deal with the club and will look to earn his first minutes with the club after missing the 2022 season with injury. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Travis first joined the Rapids Academy in August 2020 and began his career with the club’s U-17 Academy team, playing a key part in their run to the quarterfinals of the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup.
