Ranking the 5 best hitting shortstops in Cincinnati Reds history

3. Best hitting shortstops in Reds history: Zack Cozart (2011-2017)

Zack Cozart might be more well known for his injury history and the donkey that Joey Votto purchased for him after making the All-Star team than his actual on-the-field performance.

Cozart spent seven years as the Reds shortstop, and when he was actually in the lineup, he was one most consistent and reliable players on Cincinnati's roster. Cozart was able place himself in thir-place among shortstops in Reds history in home runs, despite playing under 800 games in Cincinnati.

Compared to other all-time greats who aare bound to be No. 1 and No. 2 on this list, Cozart is limited in a lot of the counting statistics due to his lack of playing time. But Cozart stands out with his ability to reach base, hit consistently, and score runs in an up and down decade in the 2010's for the Reds.

Most notably, Cozart exceeded expectations in 2017 when he was named to his lone All-Star Game. Cozart hit nearly .300 and slugged his way to a career-high in home runs (24) RBIs (63). His .933 OPS that year was his best in a season by over 100 points.

Zack Cozart came along at a time when shortstops became thought of for more favoriably for their bat than their glove. Cozart's tenure with the Cincinnati Reds brought a ton of production at the plate and on the base paths as well. To date, Cozart is one of the five best hitting shortstops in team history.