Lefty reliever named as 'dark horse' to break onto KC Royals' Opening Day roster

It's been almost two weeks since pitchers and catchers reported to spring training, and as the Kansas City Royals continue experimenting with different lineups at camp, multiple players are looking for their chance to impress. One of those players is reliever Evan Sisk, and on February 24, MLB.com's Anne Rogers listed the 27-year-old as a "dark horse candidate" to make the Royals' Opening Day roster.

"He’s a different-look lefty with a sidearm delivery and stuff that’s hard for any hitter to pick up, but especially left-handers," Rogers wrote. "He’s competing for a spot in the Royals’ bullpen, and with limited spots, he’s going to have to have a great spring to break camp with the team. Regardless of Opening Day or not, it’s likely the Royals rely on him at some point this year, especially if there’s a series with a lot of left-handed hitters."

With six years of service time, Sisk was due to enter minor league free agency on November 4, 2024, but just three days before, the Royals announced on social media that they'd selected his contract from their Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers. According to Rogers, "other teams were calling with interest," so the Royals added Sisk to their 40-man roster to avoid losing him to minor league free agency.

Now, Sisk is looking to earn a spot in the Royals' bullpen, so could 2025 be the year he makes his MLB debut?

Evan Sisk listed as "dark horse" to make KC Royals' Opening Day roster

Sisk was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 16th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 2021 before the Royals acquired him in a trade before the 2023 season.

The Royals assigned Sisk to the Storm Chasers (Triple-A), and in 58 appearances in 2023, he struggled to a career-worst 6.34 ERA. Fortunately, the left-hander bounced back last year, and finished the 2024 season with an impressive 1.57 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP and 81 strikeouts, leading the Storm Chasers in saves (15).

In his three seasons in Triple-A, Sisk has struck out 28.9% of batters faced, including 35.4% last year. Unfortunately, control has been a consistent problem, and he's walked 12.6% of batters faced since being promoted to Triple-A in 2022, though his 11.4% walk rate in 2024 showed improvement.

The Royals bullpen was a major problem area last season, but going into 2025, the relief corps is looking significantly stronger. Lucas Erceg will return after being acquired at the trade deadline last year, Hunter Harvey will hopefully stay healthy enough to have an impact, and recently-acquired Carlos Estévez will lock in a strong backend of the bullpen. Still, Sisk could definitely earn a spot — if he can prove his walk rate is under control.

Even if Sisk doesn't make it onto the Royals' Opening Day roster, he's one of the best bullpen depth options in Triple-A, and is very likely to make an appearance at some point during the season.