Joey Votto
Votto's plate discipline was legendary, but his 2012 season stands as one of the most quietly dominant MVP campaigns in recent memory. That .337 average and 1.041 OPS came with just 14 home runs — a masterclass in getting on base and driving runs without relying on power.
The Canadian slugger's career 123 OPS+ tells the story of sustained excellence across 17 seasons in Cincinnati. His peak coincided with the Reds' brief competitive window, when his patience at the plate and gap-to-gap power made him the perfect centerpiece for a scrappy lineup.
What made Votto special was his ability to work deep counts and turn borderline strikes into walks. He combined old-school hitting approach with modern analytics thinking, maximizing his value through on-base percentage long before it became fashionable.
Career · Batting
17 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | CIN | 24 | 84 | 4 | 17 | .321 | .907 | 120 |
| 2008 | CIN | 151 | 526 | 24 | 84 | .297 | .874 | 117 |
| 2009 | CIN | 131 | 469 | 25 | 84 | .322 | .981 | 131 |
| 2010 | CIN | 150 | 547 | 37 | 113 | .324 | 1.024 | 141 |
| 2011 | CIN | 161 | 599 | 29 | 103 | .309 | .947 | 132 |
| 2012 | CIN | 111 | 374 | 14 | 56 | .337 | 1.041 | 144 |
| 2013 | CIN | 162 | 581 | 24 | 73 | .305 | .926 | 130 |
| 2014 | CIN | 62 | 220 | 6 | 23 | .255 | .799 | 114 |
| 2015 | CIN | 158 | 545 | 29 | 80 | .314 | 1.000 | 139 |
| 2016 | CIN | 158 | 556 | 29 | 97 | .326 | .985 | 133 |
| 2017 | CIN | 162 | 559 | 36 | 100 | .320 | 1.032 | 138 |
| 2018 | CIN | 145 | 503 | 12 | 67 | .284 | .837 | 115 |
| 2019 | CIN | 142 | 525 | 15 | 47 | .261 | .768 | 101 |
| 2020 | CIN | 54 | 186 | 11 | 22 | .226 | .800 | 108 |
| 2021 | CIN | 129 | 448 | 36 | 99 | .266 | .938 | 129 |
| 2022 | CIN | 91 | 322 | 11 | 41 | .205 | .689 | 98 |
| 2023 | CIN | 65 | 208 | 14 | 38 | .202 | .747 | 102 |
| Career | 2056 | 7252 | 356 | 1144 | .294 | — | — | |
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