Joey Votto, Raisel Iglesias star in Cincinnati Reds 2016 superlatives

MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 23: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds hits a single in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 23, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 23: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds hits a single in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on September 23, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The end of another Cincinnati Reds baseball season means it’s time to take stock.

Here’s a look at some of the highs and lows for the franchise:

Best imitation of Joey Votto: Joey Votto

The 33-year-old first baseman finished third in the National League in batting at .326, his highest average since 2012, and led the league in on-base percentage (.434) while finishing second in OPS (.985). His 97 RBIs are the most he has hit since 2011.

Seems there’s life in the old Canuck yet.

Best hitter (non-Joey Votto category): Adam Duvall

A first-time All-Star at 27, Duvall led the Reds with 33 home runs and 103 RBIs, good for sixth and fifth in the NL, respectively.

On the downside, he ended up only 36th in OPS, and he led the NL in errors as a left fielder with eight, but it was still a breakthrough season for the Louisville native.

Best bounce back: Zack Cozart

The Reds shortstop came back from a major knee injury to post the highest OPS (.732) of his career over a full season. He also had a career-high 16 home runs and figures to be a pillar for a team trying to transition out of rebuilding or be a solid trade chip to further fortify the roster this winter.

Biggest disappointment: Devin Mesoraco

In our most competitive category, we went with the 28-year-old catcher whose season was cut short by a major injury for the second straight season.

Will he ever be able to show his All-Star form of 2014 again?

The pitching staff as a whole was a runner-up, but it was not shocking that group overall had a rough season. Injuries made it worse than expected.

RELATED: Will the Reds be worth watching next season?

Most pleasant surprise: Tucker Barnhart

The loss of Mesoraco was Barnhart’s gain as the 25-year-old batted .257 in 115 games. He drove in 51 runs and proved to be a solid presence in the lineup and behind the plate.

Best prospect who made it to the majors: Jose Peraza

In 72 games, the infielder/outfielder hit .324 with 13 extra-base hits, 25 RBIs and 21 steals. He and Scott Schebler both posted an OPS of .762, trailing only Votto and Duvall among players who finished the season with the team and played more than 25 games.

Best prospect still on the way: Amir Garrett

A power lefty, Garrett posted a 2.55 ERA in 23 starts between Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville. He struck out 132 in 144 2/3 innings and figures to make a play for a spot on the major-league roster next spring.

Best reliever: Raisel Iglesias

Because of the high-leverage situations and often emotional outcomes, the relief pitching picture can blur easily, but advanced numbers from Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs agree: Iglesias was the most reliable arm in the 'pen. Of course, even the naked eye can see the raw stuff and the varied repertoire the 26-year-old took to the mound 37 times this season while posting a 2.53 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings.

Best starter: Dan Straily

The third team could be the charm for Straily, who started 31 games and went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA. The 27-year-old was a bright spot when almost everyone else who got a shot in the rotation had to deal with an injury, inexperience or both.

Worst moment: Jake Arrieta's no-hitter

Does anything else need to be said?

Best moment: Choosing Nick Senzel in the first round of the draft in June.

A third baseman from Tennessee, Senzel was named the top prospect in the Midwest League after a scoring two months for the Dayton Dragons.

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