St Louis CITY2 has signed Cam Cilley, Ryan Becher, Seth Antwi, Jayden Reid, Gabriel Mikina and Sam Gomez ahead of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season. Cilley, Becher, Antwi, Reid, Mikina and Gomez are all signed through the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025.
Cilley joins CITY2 after a one-year stint with San Jose Earthquakes. The Alamo, California, native signed a Homegrown contract with San Jose in 2023, having spent 2016 through 2019 in the team’s Academy. He appeared twice for the Earthquakes last season, making his MLS debut on July 12 after subbing on in the team’s 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders. Cilley also made 21 appearances with Earthquakes II in 2023, starting each match and accruing 1,983 minutes of action. Before starting his professional career, the midfielder was a four-year starter at Stanford University (2019-2022), helping the Cardinal to a Pac-12 Championship as a sophomore and receiving a selection to the All-Pac 12 First Team following his senior campaign. Across his collegiate career, Cilley started in 61 of 69 appearances, recording six goals and nine assists.
Reid begins his tenure with CITY2 after spending last season with the New York Red Bulls. He signed a Homegrown contract with Red Bulls in 2022, joining the first team after five seasons in the club’s Academy during his youth career. The Elmont, New York, native appeared once for Red Bulls last year, making his MLS debut on May 17 in a 0-0 draw with Toronto FC. Reid spent most of the 2023 season with Red Bulls II, starting in 15 of 21 appearances with the team while registering one assist. His professional career began following a four-year run at the University of Connecticut (2019-22), where he started in 34 of 51 total appearances. With the Huskies, Reid notched three goals and seven assists, highlighted by a stellar junior season in which he picked up eight goal contributions (3 goals, 5 assists).
Prior to joining CITY2, Becher put together an impressive college career, most recently playing for the University of California-Los Angeles. With the Bruins, the Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, native posted five goals and two assists in 14 appearances (13 starts), helping the team to an NCAA Tournament berth. Becher arrived in Los Angeles after a decorated four-year spell with the University of Maryland-Baltimore County that culminated with a “Best Starting XI” selection by NCAA.com in 2022. Starting in all 62 of his appearances with the Retrievers, Becher amassed 25 goals and 20 assists.
Hailing from Kumasi, Ghana, Antwi spent last year at High Point University, earning accolades such as Big South First Team and Big South Defensive Player of the Week selections after posting three goals and one assist. He also spurred the team to a Big South Conference Championship, winning tournament MVP and All-Tournament Team honors in the process. His collegiate career began at Dayton University, where he starred from 2019 to 2022. In his four seasons with the Flyers, Antwi netted one goal and picked up two assists across 47 starts in 55 appearances. Before coming to the United States, the midfielder prepped at Right to Dream Academy in Ghana and spent time with the Manchester City U-15s and FC Nodjaelland Academy during his youth.
Mikina spent the last four years in the college ranks, most recently suiting up for Syracuse University. During his senior season in 2023, Mikina started all 21 of the team’s matches and recorded five goals and one assist, playing the second-most minutes on the team and leading the Orange to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. Prior to his time at Syracuse, Mikina spent three seasons at Niagara University, where he registered 12 goals and four assists across 42 matches played (35 starts). He has also had success overseas, scoring goals in stints with the Canadian Select National Team and while playing for Polish first division sides Rakow Czestochowa and Stal Rzeszów.
Gomez moves to CITY2 following a collegiate career that included stops at Syracuse University and, most recently, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The St. Louis, Missouri, native started 20 games for the Cougars in 2023, taking home the Ohio Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Year Award following an incredible season in which he finished tied for fifth in shutouts (10) and had the sixth-best save percentage (.844) and goals against (.611) marks in the country. In two seasons at SIUE, Gomez made 28 starts and tallied 85 saves. Before college, he won back-to-back state championships at Webster Groves High School in 2014 and 2015 and was named Missouri Class 3 Goalkeeper of the Year in 2017.
TRANSACTION: St Louis CITY2 has signed Cam Cilley, Ryan Becher, Seth Antwi, Jayden Reid, Gabriel Mikina and Sam Gomez ahead of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season. Cilley, Becher, Antwi, Reid, Mikina and Gomez are all signed through the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025.
