Cionel Pérez is real.

He has big velocity from the left side and a power breaking ball that dates back to his days in Cuba. It’s legit and a reason why the Astros signed him in 2016.

But Houston didn’t always trust Pérez. It didn’t know if he was going to strike out the side when he stepped on the mound or give up a crooked number. The Astros eventually made him available because they got tired of waiting on his control to match his potential.

It appears the trade to the Reds is already working out for Pérez. The 24-year-old is competing for a spot in the bullpen. He also makes an interesting case as a starter.

“I was really just happy that I had an opportunity to play with the Reds,” Pérez said. “I felt like I had a better opportunity to pitch more innings in the big leagues. Naturally, red is my favorite color. It kind of resembles the national team we have in Cuba, so I’m kind of happy that I’ll be able to wear the color red.”

So far, Pérez has allowed one hit and hasn't issued a walk over two scoreless innings in Cactus League play. He retired all three Dodgers hitters he faced Wednesday and touched 96 mph with his fastball.

“He came into camp and he looks as good as anyone,” Reds manager David Bell said. “I think a big key for him is going to be able to throw strikes when he needs to and just master that a little bit more. He’s shown nothing but an ability to do that, so he clearly has the arm. We’re really excited to have him.”

Pérez went 1-1 with a 5.74 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 27 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings in 20 big league games with Houston over three seasons. He’s walked 15 of the 117 batters he's faced, but his fastball has averaged 95 mph.

Last season, Pérez posted a 2.84 ERA and 2.05 WHIP in seven appearances. He also walked six of the 32 batters he faced.

“I think we all believe that he’s going to help us win,” Bell said. “I think you can already see that he’s learning and getting better. We’ll see how it all plays out. He’s definitely going to factor in.”

Lorenzen battling for rotation spot, makes spring debut
In short, Michael Lorenzen is playing the long game.

Sure, he’s competing for the fifth spot in Cincinnati's rotation with José De León, Tejay Antone and Jeff Hoffman, but at this point, it’s all about working on his repertoire and in some ways, competing against himself. Lorenzen has been open about his desire to pitch out of the rotation in 2021, and as the front-runner, he is confident in his ability to win a job as a starter.

“He really has not tried to do too much too early. He’s almost just tried to work on getting his feel for all his pitches and hasn’t really overdone it, which I know is hard for him,” Bell said. “It’s a challenge to be able to back off like that. Early in camp like that, I thought it was very smart on his part, and I think it will benefit him.”

Lorenzen made his first Cactus League appearance in Friday night's 5-3 loss to the D-backs at Goodyear Ballpark, working on getting a feel for his pitches. The right-hander gave up three hits, including a three-run home run to Josh Rojas, in 1 2/3 innings. De León started and gave up two runs on four hits and one walk in three innings, before yielding to Lorenzen to start the fourth.

“There wasn’t any spike in adrenaline whatsoever today, which I was actually pretty surprised about, and I just think that goes to show where my mind was at,” Lorenzen said. “I’m not ready to tap into a competitive mentality yet. It’s just, I think, for the betterment for the long run of where I want to be to start the season, it’s better for me to kind of do this. It doesn’t feel good to the ego, but all that matters is April 1.”

Last season, Lorenzen went 3-1 with a 4.28 ERA in 18 games. He was 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA, two walks and 14 strikeouts over 9 2/3 innings in his two starts. In 26 career starts, he is 6-10 with a 4.95 ERA over 129 innings.

“There’s a pretty large sample size with what the hitters do with my stuff. If you’re relying on Spring Training to make a decision, it’s pretty foolish,” Lorenzen said. “I don’t think that that’s what they’re going to do. We’re a lot better than that. With [Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson] and David [Bell], they’re really smart and so they’re not going to make that decision based off of this. They had the belief in me to make two starts in do-or-die situations late down the stretch. I don’t think they’re going to make a call based off of Spring Training numbers of whether or not I’m in the rotation.”

The Reds are confident Lorenzen can be effective in either role, but several factors will determine where he starts the season.

“No. 1, it starts with health and making sure that he’s throwing the ball the way he wants to,” Bell said. “It’s a bigger-picture decision for our overall staff. ... I know he has his heart set on being a starter, but I also know he’s going to do what’s best for the team. He’s in a good position to earn a starting spot, but we have a long way to go. It’s a question as what’s best for our team, best for our pitching staff. A lot goes into that, it’s not just about any one pitcher.”

Schrock talk
Max Schrock knows who he is as a player. The Reds are determining where he fits in.

“I feel like my bat-to-ball skills are pretty good,” Schrock said. “I pride myself on being able to put the ball in play, I’m not exactly a bopper that’s going to hit 30 home runs. I have to find a way to be -- not to say that I don’t have any juice -- but I like to be the guy that gets on base and can set the table and start some big innings.”

The Reds claimed Schrock off waivers from the Cubs last month. He spent the past three seasons in the Cardinals' organization before being claimed by Chicago on Oct. 30. He is 3-for-7 with two RBIs so far this spring.

“It’ll be nice to see him keep that going,” Bell said. “He’s an infielder that has versatility, he came up as a shortstop. We may see him there a little bit before the end of camp. Mostly played second base and third base, he has played a touch of outfield. But it wouldn’t hurt to see a little of him at short also.”