Colorado Rapids call up Marlon Vargas on short-term agreement

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids announced today that they have called up midfielder Marlon Vargas from the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side on a Short-Term Agreement. Vargas will be available for selection for the Rapids’ 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match on Wednesday against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (7 p.m. MT; Colorado Rapids YouTube, Altitude Sports Radio AM950).

Vargas joined Rapids 2 in January following a breakout season with Tacoma Defiance where he led the club’s attack with 13 goals and six assists, earning a spot on the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro Best XI list. The 22-year-old midfielder has tallied four appearances, all starts, this season with Rapids 2, registering one assist. 

Per the 2023 MLS Roster Rules and Regulations, a club may sign a player, age 25 or younger during the league season, from its affiliate (MLS NEXT Pro) to a maximum of four Short-Term Agreements (up to four-day contracts) each season (maximum of 16 days). An individual player may be included on up to four MLS league season match rosters each season, however, that player may appear in no more than two MLS league season matches. An individual player may appear in any number of non-league games during the terms of his four Short-Term Agreements.

TRANSACTION: Colorado Rapids call up midfielder Marlon Vargas on a short-term agreement on April 25, 2023.

Marlon Vargas

Pronunciation: VARH-guhs

Position: Midfielder

Height: 5-5

Weight: 135

Birthdate: January 21, 2001

Birthplace: Bakersfield, CA

Nationality: United States, El Salvador