Joey Votto Is Going Out of His Way to Help a Reds Top Prospect

Cincinnati Reds legend Joey Votto spends some of his time living in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Since he's close to Daytona, Votto has stopped by Jackie Robinson Ballpark numerous times to help prospects with the Daytona Tortugas.

Cincinnati's No. 9-ranked prospect Tyson Lewis was starstruck when he saw Votto show up for the first time.

“I was like, ‘Holy crap, I think that’sJoey Votto," Lewis told Chris Vinel on The Enquirer.

Votto had a 17-year big league carer with the Reds, slashing .294/.409/.511 with 356 home runs.

So what specifically has Votto helped Lewis with?

“Honestly, it’s super simple stuff,” Lewis said of what Votto has preached to him. “Just approach, stay in the middle of the field, backspin on line drives. He doesn’t try to complicate things really at all. Just some simple things that worked for him.”

In a recent story for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Vinel detailed one of the ways Votto has been helping Lewis.

Votto showed Lewis one of his favorite drills, standing near the third-base line and flipping balls from an unusual angle instead of pitching from the mound. The setup forces the hitter to focus on driving the ball through the middle of the field.

"Whenever he was feeling off, that was a drill that would kind of get him right, get him back and locked in," Lewis said.

It's hard not to appreciate Votto taking time out of his schedule to help a young prospect. For Reds fans, it's just another reminder of why he'll always be a fan favorite.

Reds Struggles Against NL Central Continue

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Petty (61) throws a pitch in the ninth inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The Reds dropped the series with a 2-0 loss to the Brewers. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Reds have been terrible against National League opponents this year, especially against their own division. They are just 2-15 against NL Central opponents and 18-30 overall against National League teams. That's a concern with the All-Star break approaching, as 15 of their final 18 games before the break are against NL clubs, including 12 games within the division. Interestingly, the Reds have had much more success against the American League, posting a 19-11 record, the fifth-best mark in Major League Baseball.

Sign Up For Our DAILY Newsletter for More Free Coverage of the Cincinnati Reds Delivered to YOU Directly

Follow me on X at @RedsDaily4 for more.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds! Follow Cincinnati Reds OnSI on Twitter/X: @RedsTalkSI. Like Our Cincinnati Reds On SI Facebook Page. Follow Cincinnati Reds On SI on Instagram.

Add us as a preferred source on Google