COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids announced today that they have called up midfielder Marlon Vargas and forward Rémi Cabral from the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side on Short-Term Agreements. Both players will be available for selection for the Rapids’ match against Columbus Crew on Wednesday, May 31, at Lower.com Field (5:30 p.m. MT; Apple TV - MLS Season Pass, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM).
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 eight appearances, all starts, this season with Rapids 2, registering two goals and three assists. Vargas made his Rapids first team debut in April when he started for the Rapids in their 3-1 win over Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC in the third round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Bakersfield, Calif., native was also called up for the Rapids’ game against FC Cincinnati last weekend.
Cabral joined the club at the ahead of the 2023 season after spending the past two years with then-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. This season, Cabral has made seven appearances for Rapids 2, scoring four goals and adding one assist. In the team’s most recent match against MNUFC2, Cabral earned himself a brace on the night. The Paris, France, 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.
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 and forward Rémi Cabral on Short-Term Agreements on May 30, 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
Rémi Cabral
Pronunciation: REM-ee kuh-BRAWL
Position: Forward
Height: 5-9
Weight: 174
Birthdate: July 10, 1999
Birthplace: Paris, France
Nationality: France
