Joey Votto didn’t hesitate when asked to name the best right-handed hitter in MLB history.
The former Cincinnati Reds star said on MLB Network’s “MLB Now” that the answer is Frank Thomas, a Hall of Famer whose power and plate discipline made him one of the most feared bats of his era. Votto made the point while discussing Athletics rookie Nick Kurtz and comparing him with Houston Astros slugger Yordan Álvarez, putting Kurtz’s .423 on-base percentage in the same conversation as Thomas, Aaron Judge and Jeff Bagwell.
“For me, I don't want to disparage Frank because Frank probably is the best right-handed hitter of all time," Votto said. "I think he's probably the best right-handed hitter of all time.
So I think that Nick has a chance to kind of move into that category. And I say that because he's making the necessary adjustments.
A guy who's running nearly a 20% walk rate? Crucial.
Maintaining the same strikeout rate. Appears to have a nearly perfect swing."
Thomas’ career numbers back up the praise. Over 19 MLB seasons, he hit .301 with a .419 on-base percentage and 521 home runs.
Votto has been a regular presence on MLB Network in recent months, and the Frank Thomas comment came after a string of other appearances and notes. On June 18, he talked on “MLB Now” about naming his dog Morgan after National Baseball Hall of Famer and former Reds great Joe Morgan.
Earlier in June, Votto joined Brian Kenny and Reds Hall of Famer Sean Casey on the same show and discussed the analytics specialist he hired in 2015 to map pitchers’ stuff, umpire tendencies and more in an effort to better control the strike zone.
He also offered his take on Shohei Ohtani’s struggles as a batter during a May appearance on “MLB Now,” saying he wasn’t overly concerned. In March, Votto gave the Reds a clock that now stands on Crosley Terrace, just outside the main entrance of Great American Ball Park.
And in February, he appeared on “The Jim Day Podcast” to talk about his job as an MLB analyst for NBC and Peacock for the 2026 season.
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