Latest Additions to the Cosmos Universe

New York Cosmos add four new players, including a veteran USL League One defender and young talent with local ties  

• Veteran left-back Davey Mason arrives with five years of professional experience
• FIFA U-20 World Cup veteran Nestor Cabrera, along with Julien Lacher and Braeden Backus, have connections in the tri-state area
• The Cosmos return to competition next year at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, NJ; The opening home game will be on March 14

PATERSON, NJ (December 19, 2025) — The New York Cosmos have signed four U.S.-born players who bring an exciting mix of professional and international experience. The quartet includes a USL League One veteran, a FIFA U-20 World Cup participant and two promising teenagers from neighboring academies.

The additions are former South Georgia Storm and Texoma FC left back Davey Mason; former Rutgers University midfielder Nestor Cabrera (international with Guatemala); former NYCFC II forward Julien Lacher; and winger/left-back Braeden Backus, from Westchester SC. Both Cabrera and Lacher are originally from New Jersey.

The signings are subject to league and federation approval, and will bring the Cosmos' first-team roster to 15 players.

"We are excited about these additions because they fit perfectly with our team-building philosophy: veterans with experience and young players hungry for opportunities," said Giuseppe Rossi, Cosmos Vice President and Sporting Director.

"I think this group of young players has a lot of ambition and is eager to show their talent," Rossi continued. "And I think Mason, the veteran of the group, will want to establish himself as one of the best left-backs in the league. We all have big ambitions. This mindset benefits individual growth, but above all, the growth of the team."

The Cosmos are preparing to return to competition in 2026 as members of USL League One. Home games will be played at the historic and renovated Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, NJ. The full League One regular season and Prinx Tires USL Cup schedule was unveiled this week, with the opening match and Night of Legends celebration scheduled for March 14, 2026 against Portland Hearts of Pine at Hinchliffe.

"We are looking for a balance between talented young players and experienced players with great quality, who are also good people," said head coach Davide Corti about the formation of the squad. "Some of our decisions have to do not only with finding good players, but also good people who can be an example for the younger ones who may need time to adapt. They will have teammates to lean on, and the rest is about time and learning like sponges from someone with more experience, being required to keep improving."

Here's more information on the four new players, along with Corti's comments on each.

 

Davey Mason 

Mason, 27, is an experienced left back from Bethesda, Maryland, with a professional background in USL League One and the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA).

He attended Georgetown (2016-17) and Loyola Maryland (2018-19), where he was recognized in the All-Patriot League Second Team in his junior and senior seasons. Between 2021 and 2022 he played with the Maryland Bobcats in NISA, helping the club qualify for the playoffs in 2022. He then signed with the South Georgia Storm in 2023, where he played 32 games between the league and the U.S. Open Cup.

He returned to the Bobcats in 2024 and returned to League One in 2025 with Texoma FC, a team with which he played 18 games and started 11.

Corti: "What impressed us about Davey was his speed and his ability to control the ball. He is fast, runs back and forth on the flank and can contribute in the build-up phase, either from midfield or closer to the forwards. He sends good crosses and has a great deal of experience."

 

Nestor Cabrera 

Cabrera, 22, is a local talent from Raritan, NJ, who has already been called up to Guatemala's senior national team and participated in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. The attacking midfielder just completed his senior season at Rutgers University.

He played 12 games with the Guatemalan U-20 national team, starting in six matches of the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship and in all three matches of the World Cup. On July 27, 2024, he made his debut with the senior team as a second-half substitute in a friendly against El Salvador.

In his final season with Rutgers, he played 16 of 17 games, started 12 and recorded three assists. In total, he accumulated 64 university games, 32 starts, two goals and four assists in four years. He attended Bridgewater-Raritan High School and trained at academies such as PDA, New York Red Bulls, and Queensboro FC.

Corti: "He's a player who can handle the ball and is very good in one-on-ones. He can play in small spaces, and that's one of the qualities we like the most, because that area of the pitch is usually very congested. He has the quality to protect the ball, dribble and assist the forwards or filter passes to the back of the defense. We need someone in that position who can handle the pressure."

 

Julien Lacher 

Despite being only 18 years old, the forward/winger from Rumson, NJ, already has two seasons of professional experience.

Lacher came through the academy at New York City FC and joined NYCFC II, the MLS Next Pro team, at the start of 2024. That year he played 15 regular-season games and recorded one goal and two assists. In 2025 he played 27 games, started 21 and finished tied as the team's second-highest scorer with six goals, in addition to providing seven assists, equaling the club's lead.

Corti: "Julien grew up within the NYCFC system and when a player is chosen by those clubs, technique is guaranteed. The physical part will come with time, and we will work on developing it with our young players. He has an incredible shot and is very quick on the ball, so we hope he can show those qualities on the pitch."

 

Braeden Backus 

Backus, 19, is a left-footed winger and left-back, originally from the outskirts of Detroit. He played for the Michigan Jaguars before joining the FC Dallas academy in 2022. He returned to Michigan at the start of 2025, played with Detroit City FC's reserve team and later signed an academy contract with USL League One club Westchester SC in August.

Corti: "Braeden is another technical player, quick on his feet and left-footed. He can play on the wing in several positions. He's a good young prospect."

 

The Cosmos expect to announce new additions in the coming weeks.