Joey Votto is a professional baseball player from Canada who plays in Major League Baseball (MLB). Furthermore, he plays for the Cincinnati Reds as a first baseman.
The Reds drafted him straight out of high school in the second round of the 2002 MLB Draft as the 44th pick overall. Initially, he played in the minor league with Cincinnati’s affiliate Dayton Dragons.
After performing well, the baseballer was promoted to the Potomac Cannons. He improved his game even more with the Cannons and had one of his best minor-league seasons in 2006.
Moreover, he worked on his batting average with the Chattanooga Lookouts. Not to mention, the athlete was selected in the 2006 All-Star Futures Game.
Likewise, Votto was named the Mid-Season Southern League All-Star team and the Post-Season Southern League All-Star team. Similarly, the popular sports magazine Baseball America voted him the minor league all-star.
Furthermore, the MLB player was also the recipient of the Southern League Most Valuable Player Award. Following the 2006 season, he started playing in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds.
As of now, Joey has earned six MLB All-Star selections. He is also the winner of the 2011 Gold Glove Award.
Here are some quick facts about him before getting into details about the MLB player’s life and career.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Joseph Daniel Votto |
| Birth Date | September 10, 1983 |
| Birth Place | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Nick Name | Joey, Tokki 2 |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Ethnicity | Italian Canadian |
| Education | Richview Collegiate Institute |
| Horoscope | Virgo |
| Father’s Name | Joseph Votto |
| Mother’s Name | Wendy Votto |
| Siblings | Three; Tyler Votto, Paul Votto, and Ryan Votto |
| Age | 40 Years Old |
| Height | 6’2″ or 1.88 m |
| Weight | 220 lbs (100 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | MLB Player |
| Team | Cincinnati Reds |
| Position | First baseman |
| Active Years | 2007 – Present |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Wife | Jeanne Paulus |
| Kids | None |
| Net Worth | $110 million |
| Social Media | Not Available |
| Merch | Jersey, Autographed Baseball, T-shirt |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Joey Votto | Early Life, Family, and Education
Joey Votto was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His parents are Joseph Votto and Wendy Votto.
Joseph was a chef, while Wendy was a restaurant manager and sommelier. Furthermore, his father was of Italian descent as well as of English descent.
The baseballer grew up in a loving environment with supportive parents. Joey was the biggest baseball fan and loved to teach his children about the sport.
Moreover, he was the first one to introduce baseball to Joey. Not to mention, the father also taught him how to play.
Likewise, Joseph Sr. would be at every one of his son’s games and was his biggest cheerleader. Similarly, the father-son duo would play catch every day.
Joesph did everything to help his son improve his baseball skills. However, the Red’s first baseman believes that his father had more faith in his dreams than in himself.
It is safe to say that Joseph’s love for baseball rubbed off on his children and one of them decided to have a career in it. With the grace of hard work and discipline, Joey’s reputation preceded him, and he was well-known for his skills.
Joseph was a great father to his children and was his biggest fan of Joey. Hence, he was over the moon when his son pursued baseball professionally and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.
Father’s Death
However, Joseph Sr. sadly passed away on August 9, 2008, heavily impacting Joey’s mental health. As per MLB rules, he took a week off to be with his mother and his three brothers Tyler, Paul, and Ryan.
But, the week wasn’t enough for the MLB player to get over his father’s death. Although his game did not suffer, he was mentally and emotionally shattered.
There were two different instances where he had panic attacks so bad that it landed him in the hospital. After consulting some doctors, they diagnosed him with depression.
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Votto said,
“I had my spurts here and there where I would play well, but going out on the field, I just couldn’t do it anymore because I was so worn down physically. The stuff I was dealing with off the field finally seeped its way into the game, and I just couldn’t get out there.
It’s difficult to explain what it’s like to go through it. If you’ve gone through it, anxiety or panic attacks, being depressed, I couldn’t do my job.”
The baseballer’s father was a crucial figure in his life, and his absence left a void in his life.
However, seeking help and taking some time off to treat depression and anxiety helped the athlete get better and onto the field then. Furthermore, he encourages his fans to break the stigma surrounding mental health and uses his platform to raise awareness.
Education
Joey studied at Richview Collegiate Institute, where he also played high school baseball. He was exceptional and quickly received much attention for his baseball skills.
Moreover, the athlete enrolled in the Etobicoke Rangers baseball program. Besides baseball, he also played high school basketball and scored 37 points in a game.
Furthermore, he also played hockey and hence was a very athletic kid. Votto signed a National Letter of Intent to play collegiate baseball for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers after his high school graduation.
Joey Votto | Age, Height, and Weight
Since the MLB player was born on September 10, 1983, he is 40 years old as of April, 2024. As an athlete, Votto stays on top of his health.
Hence, he is very fit and has a toned physique. With his regular exercise and balanced diet, the left-winger weighs around 220 lb, i.e., 100 kg.
Besides that, the baseball player is 6 feet 2 inches tall, i.e., 1.88 m.
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Joey Votto | Baseball Career
Initial Career
The baseballer started playing for the Red’s minor league affiliate, Louisville Bats, at the beginning of the 2007 season. Shortly after, Votto was promoted to the major leagues.
The athlete made his debut on September 4, 2007, in a game against the New York Mets. He bagged the second position in the National League Rookie of the Year the following season.
Moreover, he led the National League rookies in hitting, hits, on-base percentage, home runs, total bases, multi-hit games, and slugging percentage.
The MLB player also broke the Cincinnati Reds’ most runs batted in by a rookie record that Frank Robinson held in 1956.
In 2009, the first baseman revealed that he suffered from depression and anxiety caused by his father’s sudden demise. Besides that, he also suffered from an ear infection.
Similarly, he missed a few games due to a sore neck in 2010. Nevertheless, the player came back bigger and stronger after the recovery and assisted the Reds in regaining the National League Central lead.
Furthermore, 13.7 million fans voted for him to play in the 2010 All-Star game. Likewise, Joey also starred on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s August 30, 2010 issue.
On top of that, he was the winner of the 2010 Hank Aaron Award and was also declared National League’s Most Valuable Player. Votto was the first Cincinnati player since 1995 to win the NL’s MVP title.
He was again selected for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 MLB All-Star Games. Furthermore, Joseph Jr. was the highest-paid athlete in Canada in 2012.
In 2014, the oldest Votto landed on the disabled list after suffering from strained left quadriceps. The following MLB season, he was thrown out of the game after a frustrated Joey threw his helmet down.
Recent Career
In 2016, Joey was only the 10th player in MLB history that led his league in on-base percentage five times. Moreover, he earned his fifth All-Star selection in 2017.
Likewise, he was the winner of the 2017 Lou Marsh Trophy. Not to mention, the baseballer landed in the second position in the National League MVP voting.
Similarly, the athlete earned his sixth MLB All-Star Game selection in 2018. Furthermore, Votto surpassed Pete Rose‘s record in 2020 for the most career walks after drawing 1,211th walk.
In June of 2021, the Reds’ player received an ejection after arguing with the umpire over a checked swing third strike call. Joey had to be physically restrained by his team’s coaching staff.
As a result of his poor conduct, he received a two-game suspension which was later reduced to one after an appeal. On top of that, he also received an undisclosed fine. He sat out the game against the Minnesota Twins.
In July 2021, he was named the National League’s Player of the Month.
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Stats
| Year | WAR | AB | H | HR | BA | R | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG |
| Career | 64.6 | 6722 | 2027 | 331 | .302 | 1114 | 1065 | 80 | .416 | .520 |
Achievements and Highlights
- Six-time MLB All-Star from 2010 to 2013 and in 2017 and 2018
- 2010 National Leagues’ Most Valuable Player
- Seven-time Tip O’Neill Award winner from 2010 to 2013 and from 2015 to 2017
- Two-time Lou Marsh Trophy winner in 2010 and 2017
- 2010 NL Hank Aaron Award recipient
- 2017 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award winner
- 2011 Gold Glove Award winner
Joey Votto | Girlfriend, Wife, Wedding, and Kids
Joey Votto is in a long-term relationship with Jeanne Paulus. She is a dental hygienist and reportedly graduated from the University of Akon.
The pair maintain a very private relationship, and not much has been known about their first meet or date. Nevertheless, many sources report that Paulus was a great support system for Votto when his father passed away.
Furthermore, the couple has been rather quiet about their plans for an engagement or a wedding. Nevertheless, since they’ve been going strong for quite a while, we can expect wedding bells in the future.
Besides that, the two do not have any kids and have not disclosed whether they want any or not.
Joey Votto | Net Worth, Salary, and Contracts
Joesph Jr. has earned most of his wealth through his professional career in Major League Baseball. His net worth is estimated at $110 million.
Moreover, his career earnings amount to $193,193,759 for sixteen MLB seasons. Likewise, the baseballer is set to receive $25 million for the upcoming MLB season.
Similarly, he earned $25 million in the 2021 season which is his highest salary ever. Furthermore, in 2011, the first baseman signed a three-year deal worth $38 million.
The following year, he signed a 10-year contract extension worth $225 million that would suffice for him till 2024. The contract was the longest active deal and the 13th-largest deal in MLB history.
By the end of 2024, his career earnings would have amounted to $263,193,759. Not to mention, the deal with the Reds ended up making Votto the highest-paid athlete from Canada.
Besides that, the athlete makes over $300,000 in endorsements and sponsorships. Some of his endorsers are Nike, Rawlings, etc.
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Joey Votto | Social Media Presence
Joey is not active on any social media platforms as he likes to live his life the old-school way. He does not have an Instagram or Twitter handle.
FAQs
Is Joey Votto a Hall of Famer?
Since Votto is an active player, he is not included in the Hall of Fame just yet. A player must be retired for five years to be eligible for the MLB Hall of Fame. However, many predict that he might be a future Hall of Famer.
