The Red Report: Joey Votto

Joey Votto

#19 / First Base / Cincinnati Reds

Height: 6-3

Weight: 220

Bats: L

Throws: R

Born: Sep 10, 1983

Fast Facts:

• Joseph Daniel Votto was born in Etobicoke, Ontario - the western part of Toronto.  He attended Richview Collegiate Institute, the same high school Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper went to.
• Drafted out of high school in 2002 in the second round of the draft.  The Reds had two other picks before selecting Votto 44th overall.  They chose right-handed pitchers Chris Gruler and Mark Schramek.
• By 2006, Votto started emerging as an elite prospect.  He batted .319 in AA Chattanooga, hitting 22 home runs, 46 doubles, and stealing 24 bases.  He played for the World Team in the Futures Game (Homer Bailey pitched for the USA), was named to both the Mid-Season and Post-Season Southern League All-Star teams, and won the Southern League MVP award.

• Going into the 2007 season, Baseball America ranked Votto the third-best prospect in the Reds organization.  His season proved the depth of the minor leagues because it was worthy of a top ranking in any system.  He was the International League Rookie of the Year, MVP of the Louisville Bats, played in the AAA All-Star Game, and played in the Futures Game again, where he homered.  Dutch WBC pitcher Rick VandenHurk was also on the World team.
• Votto was a September call-up and he made his major league debut on Sept. 4, 2007, pinch-hitting for Gary Majewski.  He promptly struck out.
• His second at-bat was much better.  He homered off of John Maine, becoming the third Red that season to hit a home run for his first major league hit (Josh Hamilton and Ryan Jorgensen were the others).  Votto finished the game 3-3 with 2 runs scored, an RBI, and a walk.  That game wasn't a fluke.  He finished the season with a .321 batting average, 4 home runs and a 127 OPS+, all capped with a final game against St. Louis in which he went 2-4 with a home run and 5 RBI.
• After his incredibly successful September, many felt that Votto should be the everyday first baseman, but were leery of new manager Dusty Baker's supposed preference for veterans.  But to his credit, Baker favored Votto over Scott Hatteberg almost from the start.  It was a great decision as Votto finished the season with a .297 avg., 24 HR, and a 124 OPS+.  He came in second in Rookie of the Year voting, losing to Geovany Soto.  He also drove in the 2nd most runs ever by a Reds rookie with 84, trailing on Jim Greengrass who drove in 100 in 1953.
• His closest comparison is Todd Helton, according to www.baseball-reference.com.
• Votto's greatest day in the majors came on May 7, 2008 against the Cubs.  He hit three home runs, drew a walk, and stole a base.  He was only the fifth player to hit three home runs in one of his first 60 major league games (one of the others was Jonny Gomes).

Joey Votto Home Run Cubs at Reds (via DUNN8729)

• Votto is representing Team Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, where he is expected to DH and play some LF.

Contract Status:

MLB service time (As of Opening Day 2009): 1.027
Signed by scout: John Castleberry
Current contract status: Pre-arbitration, renewed on a one year contract 2/28/09

Career Stats:

(BBRef | FFanGraphs | THT)

Scouting Report:

(via the Baseball Cube)

Power: 90
Speed: 48
Contact: 25
Patience: 86

2009 Projections: 

RR Projected Wins Above Replacement:  3.16

Graphs

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