Nashville Soccer Club announced today the re-signing of defender Josh Bauer through the 2026 season with an option for 2027. Bauer, whose contract expired at the end of the 2024 season, set career highs in starts (22), games played (31), and minutes (2,184) across all competitions this year. 

“Josh was a key contributor for us this past season in a number of different roles on the field,” said Nashville SC General Manager Mike Jacobs. “We are excited to have him back as part of the present and future of our club.”

The defender, who was selected by Nashville SC in Stage 1 of the 2021 MLS Re-Entry Draft, has appeared in 48 matches (33 starts) with the Boys in Gold across all competitions since his club debut on Sept. 21, 2022 when he scored a goal in a Leagues Cup Showcase friendly versus Liga MX side Club América.

Originally chosen out of the University of New Hampshire (UNH) by Atlanta United FC in the first round (31^st overall) of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Bauer gained professional experience in the USL Championship with Atlanta United 2 (27 appearances) before also dressing for Sacramento FC (12 appearances). In 2020, he made three appearances for Birmingham Legion FC.

At UNH, Bauer was named a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist in 2019 – an award given annually to the top collegiate soccer player in the nation – and was twice named both the America East Defender of the Year and the ECAC Defender of the Year while helping lead the Wildcats to back-to-back conference titles.

Transaction: Nashville SC re-signs defender Josh Bauer through the 2026 season with an option for 2027

JOSH BAUER

Position: Defender

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 174 lbs.

Birthdate: July 22, 1998

Age: 26

Birthplace: Bedford, N.H.

Nationality: American

Last club: Nashville SC

How acquired: Re-signed through the 2026 MLS season with an option for 2027

Nashville SC joined Major League Soccer on Feb. 29, 2020 in front of the largest attendance ever recorded for a soccer match in the State of Tennessee. In its inaugural MLS season, Nashville SC defied expectations by becoming the second MLS expansion side to win and advance to the Conference Semifinals in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Nashville SC returned to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in its sophomore season after becoming just the seventh team in MLS history to go unbeaten at home in a season. The Boys in Gold again qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, becoming just the third team in league history to reach the postseason during the team’s first four years in existence. Nashville SC inaugurated GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, in front of a sellout crowd of 30,109 on May 1, 2022. For more information, visit NashvilleSC.com and follow the club at @NashvilleSC on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter)and Spotify.