• Veteran left back Davey Mason arrives with five years of pro experience 

• FIFA U-20 World Cup veteran Nestor Cabrera, Julien Lacher and Braeden Backus have Tri-State connections 

• The Cosmos return to competition next year at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, NJ; home opener is March 14 

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

The additions are former South Georgia Tormenta and Texoma FC left back Davey Mason, former Rutgers University midfielder Nestor Cabrera (a Guatemalan international), former NYCFC II forward Julien Lacher and former Westchester SC winger/left back Braeden Backus. Both Cabrera and Lacher hail from New Jersey. 

Their signings are subject to league and federation approval and will boost the Cosmos’ first-team roster to 15 players. 

“We are excited by these signings because they align perfectly with our philosophy of how we want to build this team—experienced, battle tested vets along side young bulls who can’t wait for their chance to shine,” Cosmos Vice Chairman and Head of Soccer Giuseppe Rossi said.  

“I believe this core of young players is hungry and can’t wait to showcase their talent,” Rossi continued. “And I believe Mason, the vet of the group, will want to establish himself as one of the best left backs in the league. We all have high ambition. This mentality benefits individual growth but most importantly, the team’s growth.” 

The Cosmos are preparing to return to competition in 2026 as members of USL League One. Home matches will take place at historic, refurbished Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, NJ. The club’s full League One regular season and Prinx Tires USL Cup schedule was unveiled this week, with the opener and Legends Night celebration set for March 14, 2026, against Portland Hearts of Pine at Hinchliffe. 

“We’re looking for a balance between talented young players and experts with great quality who are also good human beings,” Head Coach Davide Corti said regarding the roster construction. “Some of our choices are about finding not only good players, but good people who can become an example for younger players that might need time to adapt. They’ll have teammates they can count on, and the rest is about time and being like sponges, learning from somebody more experienced and being pushed to keep getting better.” 

See below for more on the four new players, along with Corti’s thoughts on each. 

Davey Mason 

Mason, 27, is a seasoned left back from Bethesda, Md., with experience playing professionally in USL League One and the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA). 

He attended Georgetown (2016-17) and Loyola Maryland (2018-19) and earned second team All-Patriot League recognition as a junior and senior. He spent 2021-22 with the Maryland Bobcats in NISA, helping the club reach the playoffs in 2022. Mason then signed with League One side South Georgia Tormenta in 2023, when he made 32 league and U.S. Open Cup appearances. 

He rejoined the Bobcats in 2024 and then returned to League One in 2025 with Texoma FC. At Texoma, Mason played in 18 matches and made 11 starts. 

Corti: “What impressed us about Davey was his speed and his ability to control the ball. He’s fast, goes up and down the wing, and he can be an addition in the buildup phase whether the ball is in midfield or closer to the strikers. He puts good crosses in and has good experience.” 

Nestor Cabrera 

Cabrera, 22, is a local product from Raritan, NJ, who already has appeared for the Guatemalan senior national team and played at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. The attacking midfielder just completed his senior season at Rutgers University. 

Cabrera played 12 times for Guatemala’s U-20 side, starting six matches at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship and then all three games at the ensuing World Cup. On July 27, 2024, Cabrera made his senior international debut as a second-half substitute in Guatemala’s friendly loss to El Salvador. 

He appeared in 16 of 17 matches for the Scarlet Knights last fall, starting 12 and tallying three assists. He totaled 64 appearances, 32 starts, two goals and four assists during his four-year college career. Cabrera attended Bridgewater-Raritan High School and played youth soccer with PDA, the New York Red Bulls and Queensboro FC. 

Corti: “He’s the kind of guy that can handle the ball and is really good on one v. ones. He can play through traffic, and that’s one of the skills we like the most, because the field around that [playmaker] position will be jammed. He has the quality to keep the ball, dribble and distribute the ball to the strikers or play it behind the defense. We need someone in that position that can handle the pressure.” 

Julien Lacher 

Although still just 18 years old, the forward/winger from Rumson, NJ, already has two seasons of experience at the professional level. 

Lacher progressed through New York City FC’s academy and joined NYCFC II, the club’s MLS Next Pro team, in early 2024. That year, he made 15 regular season appearances and notched one goal and two assists. In 2025, Lacher played in 27 MLS Next Pro games, starting 21, and tied for second on the team with six goals. He added seven assists, which tied for the team lead. 

Corti: “Julien grew up within the [NYCFC] system and when you get chosen by those clubs, the technique is there. The physicality will come with time, and we’re going to try to build that up in our younger players. But he has an incredible shot and he’s really quick on the ball, so we’re looking forward to him being able to showcase those skills on the field.” 

Braeden Backus 

Backus, 19, is a left-footed winger and outside back from suburban Detroit. He played for the Michigan Jaguars before joining the FC Dallas academy in 2022. He returned to Michigan in early 2025, played for Detroit City FC’s reserves and then signed an academy contract with USL League One side Westchester SC in August. 

Corti: “Braeden is another technical guy, quick with his feet and left footed. He can play on the wing in multiple positions. He’s a good young prospect.” 

The Cosmos expect to announce additional player signings in the coming weeks. 

For more information on the club, please visit our website.  

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