Cozart: Votto promised me a donkey if I'm an All-Star

Zack Cozart's surprisingly efficient performance this season has earned him well-deserved praise, and may also earn him a very strange reward: a donkey.

The Cincinnati Reds shortstop professed his love for the animal while describing an interesting bet he made with teammate Joey Votto.

"I don't know why I like donkeys so much, maybe because they look like they're real chill," Cozart said, according to MLB Network Radio.

"About a mile away from our spring training facility in Arizona, there's a donkey farm where you can feed the donkeys. Old Jo-Vo (Votto) was like, 'You make the All-Star team, I'm going to get you a donkey.' I'm like, 'Joey, I don't need a donkey right now.' But if anybody knows Joey, I do, and if that happens, he's going to show up with a donkey somehow."

Following an update from MLB on Monday, Cozart has jumped from third to first in All-Star voting for National League shortstops.

One of the factors behind his breakout this year is a dramatic increase in his walk rate. He's already taken 32 walks in 55 games after taking 37 in 121 games last season.