Rob Butcher

Cincinnati Reds Publicity Director

 

CINCINNATI — The Reds have selected the contracts of RHP Stephen Johnson, RHP Sal Romano and RHP Robert Stephenson and signed to a 1-year Major League contract through the 2016 season RHP Blake Wood. The 40-man roster is at 38 players.

Johnson, 24, on August 20 was acquired from the Giants in exchange for OF Marlon Byrd. Johnson was selected by SF in the sixth round of the June 2012 first-year player draft.

Romano, 22, was selected by the Reds in the 23rd round of the June 2011 first-year player draft. He enters the 2016 season rated the ninth-best prospect in the organization.

Stephenson, 22, was selected by the Reds in the first round (27th overall) of the June 2011 first-year player draft. For the third straight season he is rated the organization’s top prospect and in 2015 led all Reds minor league pitchers with 140 strikeouts (140ip).

Wood, 30, spent the 2015 season with the Pirates’ Class AAA affiliate at Indianapolis, where he was a mid-season International League All-Star. He led the IL in saves (29), games finished (46) and highest strikeouts/9 innings ratio among relievers (10.74) while ranking second in the league in apps (57).