Reds designate RP Pedro Strop, call up exciting prospect Jose Garcia

The Reds announced that they’ve reinstated reliever Pedro Strop from the injured list and designated him for assignment. In other moves, the club selected infielder Jose Garcia and optioned outfielder Travis Jankowski to its alternate site.

If this is the end of the right-handed Strop’s run with the Reds, it’ll go down as short-lived and unmemorable. The former Ranger, Oriole and Cub signed with the Reds for a one-year, $1.825M guarantee in the winter, but he threw a mere 2 1/3 innings of three-run ball (one earned) before landing on the IL earlier this month with a right groin strain. The 35-year-old Strop does bring a quality MLB track record to the table, though, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up with another team if he’s healthy.

The Reds aren’t wasting any time with Garcia, who will start at shortstop for the team Wednesday. It’s a big leap for the 22-year-old Garcia, who hasn’t yet played above High-A ball, where he slashed .280/.343/.436 with eight home runs and 15 stolen bases in 452 plate appearances last season. Garcia’s now the Reds’ seventh-ranked prospect at Baseball America, which writes that he has the potential “to jump to the top of Cincinnati’s system with continued performance.”