Joey Votto

Joseph Daniel "Joey" Votto (born September 10, 1983 in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian Major League Baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds. He plays first base. Drafted out of high school (Richview Collegiate Institute) in the second round of the 2002 MLB amateur draft by the Reds (44th overall), Votto's first few professional

seasons with the Reds' rookie-level affiliates were quiet. However, Votto burst onto the scene in 2004, when he hit 26 doubles, 14 home runs, and sported a batting average of .302 with the Class A Dayton Dragons. He was promoted to Class A Advanced Potomac, and hit five more home runs in 20 games to end the season with 19. However, during Votto's 2005 campaign with Sarasota, his consistency declined. While he still hit 19 home runs, Votto struck out 122 times and his batting average dropped nearly 50 points to .256. He rebounded in 2006, batting .319 with 22 home runs and 24 stolen bases Chattanooga. Votto spent the majority of the 2007 Spring Training with the Cincinnati Reds and made the 40 man roster but was sent down to the AAA Reds' affiliate Louisville Votto's 2006 season was the best of his career. Playing with Class AA Chattanooga, he