The Cincinnati Reds are banking their future in part on a left-handed power hitting first baseman. Ryan Howard? Prince Fielder? Carlos Delgado? The Reds can only hope that first baseman Joey Votto is that good and from minor league stats, he just might be. Heading into this season, Votto, 23, was ranked by Baseball America as the Reds? third best prospect, behind right-handed pitcher Homer Bailey and outfielder Jay Bruce, both teammates of Votto with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. This is after a 2006 season with Double-A Chattanooga, where he hit .317 with 22 home runs, 77 RBI and slugged .547. He also won the MVP of the Southern League. Now, in Triple-A, Votto is still progressing, hitting .294 with 15 home runs, 66 RBI and a .459 slugging percentage. He was also voted as the best batting prospect and best strike-zone judgment in the International League, according to a survey done by Baseball America. However, it wasn?t always this easy for Votto, who was an under the radar prospect before the 2002 draft. ?I wasn?t a big prospect,? Votto said. ?It was a surprise I went in the second round because I was projected to go anywhere from the fifth round to the 15th round. I just did a good job at the pre-draft camps with the Reds and the Yankees.? Coming out of Richview Collegiate Institute in Canada, Votto didn?t have a natural position. He played third base and left field, but was sold as a catcher by the Reds he believes to justify his high draft choice, he said. After playing DH for a summer, Votto eventually moved to first base during his second season and has been working there ever since. ?I don?t want to just be an average or below average first baseman defensively,? Votto said. ?I think I can be a plus on that side of the field.? Reds fans can only hope for this and a brighter future for a team that has made the playoffs just once since their 1990 World Series win. Expectations are a middle of the order that consists of Bruce and Votto to go with Bailey at the top of the rotation, something that isn?t lost on Votto. ?We have fun with it and trying to play well,? Votto said of the expectations of him and Bruce. ?We are doing stuff that will get us to the World Series, but we joke about being in the middle of the order together. It?s a team game and we have some good pitchers in the system.? For now, Votto will stay the minor league course; a grind that Votto says is under appreciated. ?Everybody thinks you are making big money and that?s not true,? Votto said. ?It?s a challenge and a lot of guys want to leave because the travel is tough, you stay in hotels you don?t want to stay in, eat food you don?t want to eat.? Think Votto can help turn the Reds around? Email your thoughts to [email protected]