Sat, Jan 23, 2021 at 12:45pm

CIONEL PEREZ PICKED UP BY CINCINNATI

The Cincinnati Reds acquired pitcher Cionel Perez from the Houston Astros for catcher Luke Berryhill.

What does it give the Cincinnati Reds
In Perez, the Reds land a left-handed reliever with 20 MLB appearances on his resume. He did a lot of starting in the minors but should continue to pitch out of the bullpen for Cincinnati. He is a good bet to make the roster in 2021 as one of the team's southpaws.

What does it give the Houston Astros
In Berryhill, the Astros get a 22-year-old catcher who last played at Single-A Greeneville in 2019. He is probably no more than a backup catcher prospect, but Houston might offer Berryhill a greater opportunity to move up the organizational ladder.

Fantasy impact
While Perez does have some upside as a fantasy reliever, he should not be drafted in 2021 because his role remains undefined in Major League Baseball. However, keep an eye on him. Meanwhile, Berryhill is likely a few years away from being on the big-league radar, and the jury is still out on his long-range upside.

Player focus

Houston Astros

Luke Berryhill C

Cincinnati Reds

Cionel Perez P