Sporting KC gives defender Kevin Ellis, midfielder Servando Carrasco new contracts

Sporting Kansas City made its new contract agreements with defender Kevin Ellis and midfielder Servando Carrasco official Tuesday, the club announced.

A former standout at Oak Park High School, Ellis is one of three homegrown players on the Sporting KC roster, along with defender Erik Palmer-Brown and goalkeeper Jon Kempin. His new deal comes after a breakout 2014 season, during which he made 20 MLS appearances, including 16 starts. He scored his first career goal during a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals match against Cruz Azul last March.

“There is no place I would rather play than Kansas City,” Ellis said in a news release. “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.”

Sporting KC acquired Carrasco on the day of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, when it traded a second-round choice to Houston. He had made 60 career appearances across four seasons in MLS, recording one goal and one assist.

He projects as a defensive midfielder with Sporting KC.

“Having played against Kansas City over the years, two things instantly come to mind. One is the incredible support from the fan base and (the) second is the style of play,” Carrasco said in the release. “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.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2015 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Sporting KC gives defender Kevin Ellis, midfielder Servando Carrasco new contracts."