The Cincinnati Reds made a 40-man roster move.
The Cincinnati Reds are already making changes after a disappointing 2026 season. Cincinnati finished 75-87, last in the National League Central and way behind the division-winning Milwaukee Brewers. The Reds clearly took a step backwards. They missed the playoffs one year after reaching the postseason as a wild card team.
Cincinnati made a move on Thursday, sending infielder Ivan Johnson to Triple-A Louisville, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic on X. The move opens a spot on Cincinnati's 40-man roster. Johnson cleared waivers and will remain in the organization.
Johnson spent most of the season bouncing between Louisville and Cincinnati. He has the ability to play all over the diamond, including left field and both second base and shortstop.
The 27-year-old has spent his entire career in the Reds organization. He was a fourth-round pick back during the 2019 MLB draft out of high school. He used to be a top-ranked prospect in the system, but the hype has fizzled out. Especially considering not a single team in the league wanted to use a 40-man spot on him when he cleared waivers.
Johnson made his MLB debut June 30 and collected just one hit in 19 plate appearances for the Reds. He spent 73 games in the minor leagues, hitting .247 with a .354 on-base percentage, .778 OPS, 11 home runs, 31 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He will be a good player to stash as depth for the 2027 season if injuries start to pile up.
Cincinnati's roster was repeatedly hit hard by injuries in 2026 that contributed to their disappointing season. Hunter Greene missed nearly the entire year due to multiple arm setbacks.
He underwent his second Tommy John surgery in August. The procedure is expected to keep the right-hander out for most of 2027, if not all of it.
Spencer Steer also missed a ton time with a right wrist injury and underwent surgery September 30th to repair a torn tendon sheath. His absence was a major reason why Johnson got a ton of playing time.
Johnson's outright assignment is one of the first moves of what figures to be a busy offseason in Cincinnati.
The Reds have young talent, but they need better health, rotation depth and more consistent production across the roster. The 2026 season showed how quickly a promising team can fall apart when injuries and inconsistency hit at the same time.
