After completing the first half of their preseason in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, the Rapids traveled to Orlando, Florida, on February 5 where they will finalize their preparations for the 2023 MLS season.
For this portion of camp, players from Rapids 2 and the Rapids Academy who were invited to Mexico have returned to their respective teams. Additionally, recent signings have joined the team in Florida, while some players will be training with Rapids 2 at IMG Academy during this half of training camp.
Below is the squad that will be based in Orlando as the club heads into the final few weeks of preseason:
CURRENT ROSTER
Lalas Abubakar
Date of Birth: 12/25/1994
Position: Defender
Notes: A two-time Rapids Defender of the Year, Abubakar is entering his fifth season with the club and seventh season in MLS. The Khumasi, Ghana, native netted four goals during his 2022 MLS campaign, setting a new single-season career high. Abubakar was named to the MLS Team of the Week for weeks 5 and 16 in 2022 for his defensive efforts and offensive contributions.
Bryan Acosta
Date of Birth: 11/24/1993
Position: Midfielder
Notes: The physical and dynamic midfielder enters his second season in Burgundy and fifth in MLS. Acosta delivered three assists in 2022, setting a new single-season career high. The La Ceiba, Honduras, native has been a staple in the Honduran national team midfield, recording 59 appearances, a pair of goals and a pair of assists for Los Catrachos since making his international debut in 2014
Max Alves
Date of Birth: 5/12/2001
Position: Midfielder
Notes: An athletic and technical midfielder, Max is entering his second season in Burgundy after joining the Rapids from Flamengo in Brazil’s Serie A. This will mark the 21-year-old’s first full preseason with the club after visa issues delayed his arrival following his move from Flamengo in January last year. With a full year under his belt in the U.S. and MLS, the Max will look to build off the end-of-season form he showed in closing out the 2022 season. Max is designated as one of the Rapids’ U-22 Initiative players.
Sebastian Anderson
Date of Birth: 8/8/2002
Position: Defender
Notes: The 20-year-old homegrown defender is entering his fifth season with the Rapids. Anderson currently holds the club record as the youngest player to ever score a goal for the Rapids after making his MLS debut for the side in 2019. He spent the majority of the 2022 season on loan with Rapids 2 in MLS NEXT Pro, as well as a stint in the USL Championship with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, where he helped the club reach the Western Conference Final.
Michael Barrios
Date of Birth: 4/21/1991
Position: Forward
Notes: The crafty Colombian winger enters his third season in Colorado. Barrios joined the Rapids via a trade with FC Dallas in 2021, where he left as the club's second all-time leader in combined goals and assists with 75. The nine-year MLS veteran currently has 41 goals and 58 assists during the regular season.
Cole Bassett
Date of Birth: 7/28/2001
Position: Midfielder
Notes: A goalscoring, box-to-box midfielder, Basset is entering his sixth season in Colorado. The Littleton, Colorado, native recently returned home following loan stints with Dutch sides Feyenoord Rotterdam and Fortuna Sittard.
Bassett originally signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Rapids in August 2018 at age 17, then the youngest signing in Rapids history. At the time, he set additional records as the youngest player in club history to make his professional debut and score a goal. Bassett received his first senior call-up to the United States men's national soccer team in 2020, before scoring his first goal during his national team debut on December 18, 2021, against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 1–0 win. Bassett was again called into U.S. Men’s National Team's domestic-based January Training Camp in Phoenix, Arizona in 2022
Steven Beitashour
Date of Birth: 2/1/1987
Position: Defender
Notes: The decorated fullback enters his third season in Burgundy and his 14th season in MLS. Prior to joining the Rapids, Beitashour spent two seasons with LAFC, helping the Black & Gold win the Supporters’ Shield and set what was then an MLS-record 72 points in 2019. The veteran defender was a key part of the Toronto FC side that completed a historic, treble-winning season in 2017, capturing the MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield and Canadian Championship alongside current Rapids head coach Robin Fraser, who was then an assistant in Toronto. During his two seasons in Toronto, Beitashour also helped the Canadian side reach consecutive MLS Cup Finals. The Iranian international also counts the 2012 Supporters’ Shield and two other Canadian Championships as part of his trophy cabinet.
Moise Bombito
Date of Birth: 3/30/2000
Position: Defender
Notes: A Generation Adidas defender from the University of New Hampshire, the Rapids selected Bombito with the third overall pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. Bombito was named the 2022 America East Defender of the Year and was a Second-Team All-American selection after helping lead a New Hampshire defense that ranked third in the NCAA with a 0.5 goals against average in 2022. The 6-foot-3, center back was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, as well as being named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year and being selected to the All-ECAC First Team. Bombito started his collegiate career at Iowa Western Community College where he won the NJCAA National Championship in 2021 and also spent time in USL League 2 with Seacoast United Phantoms, scoring three goals across 10 appearances in 2022.
Kévin Cabral
Date of Birth: 7/10/1999
Position: Forward
Notes: A dynamic and explosive forward, Cabral is one of the league’s top chance creators. The 23-year-old Designated Player is entering his first year in Burgundy after spending the past two seasons with the LA Galaxy where he helped the side return to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2019. A native of Paris, France, Cabral spent three seasons in France’s Ligue Two with Valenciennes FC prior to his arrival in MLS. Cabral was part of Paris Saint-German’s youth system before joining Valenciennes in 2017.
Michael Edwards
Date of Birth: 11/27/2000
Position: Defender
Notes: The 22-year-old defender enters his third season in Burgundy. With the launch of Rapids 2 last year, Edwards was loaned to the MLS NEXT Pro side and went on to make 12 appearances with the team, registering 966 minutes and scoring a goal. Edwards also logged his second stint in Colorado Springs, going on loan to Switchbacks FC following the conclusion of the MLSNP season. He made 10 appearances with Colorado Springs en route to helping the side reach the 2022 USL Championship Western Conference Final. Prior arriving in Colorado, Edwards spent three years in Germany with VfL Wolfsburg’s youth system.
Braian Galván
Date of Birth: 10/6/2000
Position: Midfielder
Notes: The 2021 Rapids Young Player of the Year enters his fourth season in Colorado looking to bounce back to form after missing the 2022 season due to an ACL injury. Galván, 22, first joined the club midway through 2020 from Argentina’s Club Atlético Colón and went on to become a versatile presence on the Rapids side that finished atop the Western Conference for the first time in club history last year. A native of San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina, Galván has previously been called up to the Argentina U-20 men’s national team and trained against the senior side during their preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Alex Gersbach
Date of Birth: 5/8/97
Position: Defender
Notes: A technical fullback with a high level of energy, Gersbach joined the Rapids last month after spending the bulk of his career in Europe, most recently in France’s Ligue 2 with Grenoble. The 25-year-old fullback spent two seasons with GF38, logging 45 appearances and two assists across all competitions. Gersbach will join the team in Orlando upon receipt of his P-1 Visa.
Calvin Harris
Date of Birth: 3/20/2000
Position: Forward
Notes: The versatile and dynamic Generation Adidas forward is entering his first season in Burgundy. Harris, 22, arrives in Colorado after spending the past two seasons with FC Cincinnati. During his time with the Orange & Blue, Harris made 26 appearances across all competitions, scoring a pair of goals and registering one assist since being drafted by the club with the second overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Harris also spent time in MLS NEXT Pro last year, scoring three goals in six appearances for FC Cincinnati 2.
Aboubacar Keita
Date of Birth: 4/6/2000
Position: Defender
Notes: The 22-year-old athletic center back is entering his second season with the Rapids. Keita will be looking to earn his first minutes with the club after missing the 2022 season due to a torn ACL. The young defender first joined the Rapids ahead of the 2022 season after spending four years with the Columbus Crew, winning the 2020 MLS Cup and 2021 Campeones Cup with the midwestern side. Born in New York City, Keita, has represented the United States at the youth level, making eight appearances with the U.S. U-20 Youth National Team, including five caps, all starts, at the 2019 U-20 World Cup.
Jonathan Lewis
Date of Birth: 6/4/1997
Position: Forward
Notes: The dangerous and speedy attacker is entering his fifth season with the Rapids. Lewis is coming off a 2022 season that saw him record five goals and three assists, his fifth consecutive year with at least five goals scored. The Plantation, FL, native has previously earned eight caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team, most recently appearing in a 7-0 friendly win over Trinidad on Feb. 1, 2021, where he scored a brace.
Anthony Markanich
Date of Birth: 12/26/1999
Position: Defender
Notes: The 23-year-old enters his second season in Burgundy after being selected 26th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by the Rapids. Markanich recorded 235 minutes in three appearances for the Rapids in 2022, all of them starts. The left back, who can also slot in as a central defender, spent the majority of last season on loan with Rapids 2 in MLS NEXT Pro, logging 12 appearances. Prior to being drafted by the Rapids, Markanich spent four-seasons at Northern Illinois University where he was a three-time First-Team All-MAC honoree. Markanich made 67 appearances for the Huskies during his time in college, registering 17 goals and adding 24 assists, the latter of which are tied for second-most in program history.
Andreas Maxsø
Date of Birth: 3/18/94
Position: Defender
Notes: An experienced and physically imposing center back, Maxsø joins the Rapids this offseason after spending the past four seasons with Brøndby IF in the Danish Superligawhere he captained the team to the 2020-21 league title. During his time with the Copenhagen-based side, Maxsø made 112 appearances across all competitions, including six starts in the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League, recording seven goals and two assists in that span.
Sam Nicholson
Date of Birth: 1/20/1995
Position: Midfielder
Notes: The versatile attacker enters his fifth season in Burgundy. Nicholson re-joined the Rapids for his second stint with the club midway through 2022 after spending two seasons in England with Bristol Rovers. The 27-year-old made 75 appearances across all competitions with the Pirates across League One, League Two, the FA Cup, EFL Trophy and EFL Cup, recording 14 goals and eight assists in that span. Prior to joining the English side, Nicholson spent three seasons with the Rapids from May 2018 to July 2020. Nicholson’s professional career began in 2013 with Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) of the Scottish Premiership before he joined Minnesota United FC as a free agent midway through the 2017 MLS season.
Jack Price
Date of Birth: 12/19/1992
Position: Midfielder
Notes: The elite set-piece maestro and club captain enters his sixth season in Burgundy. Signed by the Rapids ahead of the 2018 season from England’s Wolverhampton Wanderers, Price has become a key figure in Colorado’s midfield and one of the most effective distributors in MLS. After a 2022 season that saw him feature in only half of the Rapids’ games due to various injuries, Price will look to get back to the form that saw him rank fourth in MLS in assists just the year prior. During his five seasons with the club, Price has delivered 35 assists for the Rapids, second-most in club history behind only Chris Henderson..
Ralph Priso
Date of Birth: 8/2/2002
Position: Midfielder
Notes: The talented, young midfielder enters his second season in Burgundy. Prior to joining the Rapids, Priso spent three seasons with Toronto FC where he made his professional debut in 2020 as a Homegrown Player. The central midfielder made 33 appearances and registered two goals across all competitions for the Reds, including the MLS regular season, MLS Playoffs, Concacaf Champions League and Canadian Championship, winning the 2020 edition with the club. A native of Toronto, Canada, Priso joined TFC’s academy in 2017 and went on to represent Canada at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil, playing in all three games of the group stage.
Abraham Rodriguez
Date of Birth: 7/19/2002
Position: Goalkeeper
Notes: Rodriguez, 20, enters his third season with the Rapids since signing a Homegrown Player contact with the club in 2020. The Thornton, Colo., native made his MLS debut in 2022 when he substituted in for an injured William Yarbrough against the Portland Timbers on June 25. Rodriguez spent the majority of the 2022 season on loan with Rapids 2 in MLS NEXT Pro, where captained the side during his 17 appearances.
Connor Ronan
Date of Birth: 3/6/98
Position: Midfielder
Notes: A highly technical and versatile midfielder who can play in both deep-lying and box-to-box roles. Ronan joins the Rapids from England’s Wolverhampton Wanderers FC after spending the 2021 season on loan with St. Mirren FC of the Scottish Premiership where he was named the club’s Player of the Year. Ronan will be reuniting with former Wolves teammate Jack Price with whom he won the 2017-18 EFL Championship league title.
Keegan Rosenberry
Date of Birth: 12/11/1993
Position: Defender
Notes: A stalwart in the Rapids’ back line, Rosenberry has started 113 of 120 matches for Colorado since joining the club in 2019, a year in which he played every possible minute of the regular season for the Rapids. His athleticism and versality in defense, which saw him play in various roles across the back line at times last year, earned him the 2022 Rapids Defender of the Year award. Always reliable for at least one goal-of-the-year candidate each season, Rosenberry will look to add to his all-time tally of six goals and 10 assists with Colorado in 2023.
Diego Rubio
Date of Birth: 5/15/1993
Position: Forward
Notes: The 2022 Rapids MVP enters his fifth season in Colorado and will look to build on a record-setting year that saw Rubio finish as the Rapids’ top scorer. His 16 goals in 2022 tied the club record for most goals in a single season, while his 23 combined goals and assists set a new club record for most goal contributions in a single season in Rapids history. The 29-year-old, who often played as an advanced midfielder, also set a new club record for most game-winning goals all-time (13) and reached the fifth-most goals scored all-time mark in club history (35).
Gustavo Vallecilla
Date of Birth: 5/28/1999
Position: Defender
Notes: A commanding and explosive center back, Vallecilla is entering his second season in Burgundy after joining the Rapids in 2022. Vallecilla previously spent two seasons with FC Cincinnati while on loan from Ecuadorian side SD Aucas. The Esmeraldas, Ecuador, native made his debut with the Ecuadorian national team in 2021 after being a key figure in their youth national teams, winning the U-20 South American Championship in 2019 while also playing every minute of Ecuador’s run in the 2019 U-20 World Cup as they finished third in the competition.
Danny Wilson
Date of Birth: 12/27/1991
Position: Defender
Notes: Now into his sixth season with the Rapids, Wilson has cemented himself as an important piece of the club’s back line. A native of Livingston, Scotland, Wilson started his career with Rangers in 2009, winning the league title in his debut season. He joined English Premier League side Liverpool FC ahead of the 2010-11 season, making nine appearances during his time with the club, including five in the 2010-11 UEFA Europa League. Wilson also featured for English clubs Blackpool and Bristol City before joining Heart of Midlothian FC (Hearts) in Scotland.
Darren Yapi
Date of Birth: 11/19/2004
Position: Forward
Notes: The 18-year-old talent enters his third season as a member of the First Team, although his arrival to camp will be slightly delayed as he has been called up to the U.S. U-19 Men’s Youth National Team training camp in Miami, Florida, from January 5-14.
A product of the Rapids Academy, Yapi became the youngest player in Rapids history to sign a professional contract with the club when he became a Homegrown Player at age 16. The 18-year-old made his MLS debut on March 12, 2022 and has made 11 appearances for the Rapids since, while also contributing to the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side, Rapids 2, with six goals from 16 appearances during their inaugural season in 2022.
William Yarbrough
Date of Birth: 3/20/1989
Position: Goalkeeper
Notes: The two-time Liga MX champion enters his fourth season with the Rapids. The Aguascalientes, Mexico, native continues to etch his name in Rapids’ history and has now recorded the second-most clean sheets in club history (26), the fourth-most wins by a goalkeeper in club history (34) and the fifth-most appearances by a goalkeeper in club history (81). Prior to arriving in Colorado, Yarbrough spent his entire professional career with Club León in Mexico, making 203 appearances and winning two BBVA Liga MX titles since debuting in July 2012. Yarbrough has earned three senior international caps for the United States.
FIRST TEAM PLAYERS JOINING RAPIDS 2 FOR FLORIDA PRESEASON CAMP
The following players will train with Rapids 2 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, during this portion of preseason camp:
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 with 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.
