Cincinnati Reds add Hector Perez, Cionel Perez to 40-man roster

The Cincinnati Reds have 37 players on their 40-man roster five weeks before their spring training game after adding two players in the last two days.

On Friday, the Reds announced they acquired right-handed pitcher Hector Perez from the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later and cash.

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Perez, 24, a native of the Dominican Republic, pitched five seasons in the minor leagues before making his big-league debut in 2020. He allowed two earned runs in 1 2/3 innings on Sept. 16 against the New York Yankees. Perez ranked as the 26th-best prospect in the Blue Jays organization in 2020, according to JaysJournal.com.

On Saturday, the Reds announced they traded minor league catcher Luke Berryhill, a 13th-round pick in 2019, to the Houston Astros for left-handed pitcher Cionel Perez.

Perez, 24, a native of Cuba, has a 5.74 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Astros in the last three seasons. He had a 2.84 ERA in 6 1/3 innings and seven appearances in 2020.

Welcome to Reds Country, RHP Hector Perez!

The #Reds today acquired Perez from the Blue Jays in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. The 40-man roster is now at 36. pic.twitter.com/HfRhMSDlRW
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) January 22, 2021

Welcome to Reds Country, LHP Cionel Pérez!

The #Reds today acquired Pérez from the Astros in exchange for minor league C Luke Berryhill. The 40-man roster is now at 37. pic.twitter.com/s7RSU8gssa
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) January 23, 2021