Zack Cozart will be a winner at this year’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game, regardless of which team prevails. While he certainly would not say no to the $20,000 prize that is awarded to players on the victorious side, another prize is awaiting the veteran Cincinnati Reds shortstop and first-time All-Star.

A donkey.

One of Cozart’s teammates, first baseman and fellow All-Star selection Joey Votto, promised Cozart a donkey if he made the All-Star team.

But why a donkey, of all things? Cozart developed a fondness for donkeys when he was on a farm near the Reds’ Spring Training complex in Arizona. When he told Votto that he and his son Cooper would go on trips to feed them after practices, Votto said he’d get him a donkey of his own.

While the idea may seem ludicrous, Cozart has said he fully expects Votto to deliver on his promise.

“Anybody that knows Joey Votto knows that donkey is going to be here,” he said in an interview with ESPN.

Votto certainly has done nothing to indicate he won’t follow through. Last week Votto wore a donkey costume to the stadium as part of the Reds’ All-Star voting campaign #VoteCozart, and has been known to pull similar stunts before, including having 51 cheese pizzas driven 95 miles from another state to be delivered to friend and Miami Marlins’ outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.

Cozart, who is hitting a career-high .323, said he has begun to look for land near his house where his new donkey might be able to live.

The 88th annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game will take place on July 11 at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida.

By Alex Park / Intern reporter
(parkjky@heraldcorp.com)