3 years agoI don't think anybody saw a 36-homer season coming from a 37-year-old Joey Votto. It had been since the 2017 season that Votto had been an above-average power hitter, and he had totaled just 38 homers between 2018 and 2020 (341 games played). There was a clear change in approach for Votto in 2021. He posted his highest swing rate (43.9%) since the 2010 season and was surely swinging the bat harder with the intent of hitting more home runs. He posted his highest barrel rate (17.2%) and launch angle (18.2 degrees) by far, although keep in mind those statistics have only been kept since 2015. His strikeout rate was also the highest of his career by far (23.8%). These things do not happen by random chance, there was a concerted effort by Votto to sacrifice contact for power, and it is hard to argue that it wasn't the correct choice. One would suspect he would keep that approach in 2022, which should lead to another high home run count, but you cannot expect a good batting average or an elite on-base percentage at this point. There is also the risk that he loses a bit of bat speed at age 38. There are no certainties with Votto this year, but I would feel pretty confident about him helping your fantasy team in the home runs category, which makes him worth considering at his current ADP of 158.--Jon Anderson