Joey Votto’s name still carries real weight in Cincinnati, and now the former Reds star may be drifting toward a role that goes beyond the broadcast booth.
Votto has kept close ties to the organization while exploring new opportunities in broadcasting, and although he has been clear that coaching and managing do not interest him, recent interviews point in another direction. Those comments have opened the door to something bigger: an executive job. With Nick Krall in a precarious position heading into 2027, the idea of Votto stepping into a front-office role is starting to look less far-fetched.
That would bring a very different kind of leadership to the Reds. Votto has made it plain that he sees the club’s spending habits differently than Krall does, arguing that the team has been wasting money on qualifying offers and should instead chase the “easy wins.” He has also backed AI systems and data analytics, signaling a more modern, more streamlined way of thinking about roster building.
There is also a sharper edge to the way Votto talks about the roster. He has said he would trade Elly De La Cruz for prospects, a stance that stands in contrast to the reality under Krall, where the Reds have not been able to lock De La Cruz into an extension. The chances of that happening before he reaches free agency after 2029 are fading.
For a front office that has drawn plenty of frustration, Votto’s status changes the conversation. Krall is already unpopular with fans, while Votto is one of the franchise’s defining figures in the 21st century. That kind of standing could give him room to make a move as bold as trading De La Cruz, something a less beloved executive might never survive.
If the Reds were to hire Votto, it would echo Buster Posey’s rise in San Francisco, though Posey first joined the Giants’ ownership group before moving into his current role. The comparison makes sense because both men are deeply respected for their baseball IQ and for what they accomplished on the field.
Votto’s way of thinking fits the demands of an executive job, and the longer Cincinnati waits, the more likely it is that another franchise could wind up benefiting from that.
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