The Cincinnati Reds are a team in transition. They are trying to move their last few pieces from the 2013 team that was competitive. Joey Votto is one of only four players that the Reds have designated from that team as being in their future plans, along with Homer Bailey, Tony Cingrani, and Billy Hamilton.
The difference is that while Hamilton can be transformative defensively in center field, he cannot carry the team defensively. Bailey and Cingrani, meanwhile, are essentially 50-50 players. They are plenty good to be in the majors, but have rarely been elite.
Votto, meanwhile, made a run at the National League MVP in the second half of the 2016 season.