Sporting Kansas City announced on Tuesday that the club has signed defender Kevin Ellis and midfielder Servando Carrasco. Per club policy, terms of the agreements will not be disclosed.
“We’re excited to have Kevin and Servando under contract and with the team as we start our preseason training camp,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “Each of them have different qualities to help bolster our squad.”
Ellis enters his fifth season with Sporting KC after a career year in 2014, making 27 appearances across all competitions for the club with one goal and three assists. The 23-year-old right back scored the game-winning goal against Cruz Azul in the 2013/14 CONCACAF Champions League and his two game-winning assists during the MLS regular season were tied with Graham Zusi for the team lead.
A Kansas City, Missouri native, Ellis became the team’s second Homegrown Player signing in 2011 as a product of the Sporting KC Academy and debuted during the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup before scoring in an international friendly against C.D. Guadalajara later that year. He made his MLS debut in 2013 and also played a combined 10 games in the USL PRO while on loan with Orlando City SC (2013) and OKC Energy FC (2014) over the last two seasons.
During his four-year professional career, Ellis has been a member of Sporting Kansas City for the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title and 2013 MLS Cup championship in addition to his role in Orlando City’s 2013 season that culminated with a USL PRO championship.
"There is no place I would rather play than Kansas City," Ellis said. "I'm excited to have the opportunity to play in front of my family and friends for the next few years and could not picture it any other way."
Carrasco has made 60 appearances in four MLS seasons (including playoffs) with one goal and one assist from his defensive midfield position. He began his career with Seattle Sounders FC, who won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup during his rookie season in 2011, and was traded to the Houston Dynamo during the 2013 campaign.
The 26-year-old was a second round pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of California, where he contributed 13 goals and 13 assists in 73 games during his collegiate career. Carrasco was a three-time All-PAC 10 selection, earning first team honors as a senior in 2010 when he captained the Bears to a quarterfinal appearance in the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship.
Carrasco, who married U.S. Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan last month, holds dual citizenship in the United States and Mexico. Sporting Kansas City acquired his rights from the Houston Dynamo during the 2015 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for the club’s second round selection.
"I'm really excited to become a part of this organization and I can't wait to get started," Carrasco said. "Having played against Kansas City over the years, two things instantly come to mind. One is the incredible support from the fan base and second is the style of play. It's no secret that this is a team that wants to dictate the tempo of the game and it's exciting to have the opportunity to learn the system and continue to grow as a player."
Sporting Kansas City will kick off the team's 20th season on March 8 at Sporting Park in a nationally televised match against the New York Red Bulls at 6 p.m. CT on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes. For ticket information, visit SportingKC.com or call 888-4KC-GOAL.
Kevin Ellis
Position: Defender
Number: 4
Born: 6/30/1991
Height: 5’9
Weight: 170 lbs
College: Barton County CC
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Birthplace: Kansas City, MO
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @kev_ellis4
Instagram: @kevoellis4
Servando Carrasco (sir-VAWN-dough cuh-ROSS-coh)
Position: Midfielder
Number: 16
Born: 8/13/1988
Height: 5’10
Weight: 175 lbs
College: University of California
Hometown: San Diego, California
Birthplace: Coronado, California
Citizenship: USA, Mexico
