Reds Rookie Sal Stewart Generating National Buzz With Rookie Breakout

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (27) tosses the ball in after snagging a line drive off the bat of Kyle Karros for an out in the second inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Reds Rookie Sal Stewart Generating National Buzz With Rookie Breakout

Originally posted on Cincinnati Reds on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated May 2, 2026 8:14 AM ET

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The Cincinnati Reds have one of the best records in baseball this season, and they haven't gotten here by accident. One of the biggest producers for the Reds so far has been rookie infielder Sal Stewart, who's burst on the scene and dominated the big leagues since debuting late last season. After posting an OPS over .800 in a short span of time last year, Stewart has been even better this season.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand recently polled a list of MLB executives to ask them which rookies were creating the most buzz around the league. Unsurprisingly, Stewart was near the top of this list, only trailing Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle. Feinsand also shared some praise for Stewart of his own.

Sal Stewart is Emerging as a Superstar for the Reds

"Stewart was the second-most popular pick among executives thanks to a .288/.377/.586 slash line (.963 OPS) and a Major League-high 29 RBIs in his first 30 games this season," Feinsand wrote. "The 32nd pick of the 2022 Draft, Stewart has been the Reds’ primary first baseman this season, though manager Terry Francona has utilized him at both second and third in a pinch."

Stewart is slashing .281/.373/.570 with nine home runs, seven stolen bases, six doubles, and 29 RBI. He holds an elite wOBA, an elite barrel rate, and a max exit velocity over 111 miles per hour.

The Reds have needed him to be an impact bat, and he's been exactly that. He can leave the yard at any time against any pitcher, which is an incredibly valuable trait to have.

But it's his advanced approach that seems to wow the rival executives around the league.

Sal Stewart's Advanced Approach Makes His Success Very Sustainable

“He hits the ball hard, hits for power, has shown great plate discipline, and has above-average contact skills,” an AL executive said. “[That’s] a difficult profile to find in young players.”

While Stewart is an elite slugger, he also has an elite walk rate. He's walking nearly as often as he strikes out, which is almost unheard of in this era of baseball. Even when somebody has a profile like this, it's almost never combined with the power that Stewart has shown.

Typically, a hitter will need to choose between hitting for power, but striking out a lot, or putting the ball in play a lot, but sacrificing some power. Stewart is able to do both consistently, while routinely doing damage with two strikes.

The Reds have a star on their hands.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Reds on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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