Reds legend Joey Votto announces retirement from baseball after 17 MLB seasons

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Joey Votto, a Cincinnati Reds legend, has announced his retirement from Major League Baseball after 17 seasons. 

Votto, 40, made the announcement in a social media post Wednesday.  

"That’s it, I’m done. I’m officially retired from baseball," Votto said in a short video on his Instagram outside the stadium of the Buffalo Bisons, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, where was playing this season. 

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Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds flies out in the second inning during a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field Sept. 17, 2023, in New York City. (Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)

Votto’s caption, though, was lengthy.

"Thank you to my parents, Wendy and Joe, for giving me everything I needed to fulfill my dream of becoming a professional baseball player," he wrote. "Thank you to my brother, Tyler Votto, for throwing me wiffle balls for all those years (ha ha, you are the best. I had to write this.). To Warren and Nick for the years of hitting together as high schooler’s. The Etobicoke community for supporting me as a youth player."

Votto, a Toronto native, was a second-round pick in 2002 by the Reds, the only team he ever played for in his 17 seasons. 

He worked his way through the minor leagues to eventually make his MLB debut in 2007. He hit .321 over 24 games (84 at-bats) with four homers and 17 RBI. 

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Votto became one of the best players in franchise history, hitting .294/.409/.511 with a .920 career OPS over 2,056 games for Cincinnati. 

"As a major league player, Dusty Baker and Scott Rolen taught me