MLB Awards: Reds' Sal Stewart Leading NL Rookie of the Year Race

The Reds are one of the hottest teams in baseball, and they have one of the hottest hitters in baseball, too.

Apr 20, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) reacts after scoring a run in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds have watched top prospect Sal Stewart make his mark on the big leagues early in the year and there are few players within the organization who are as fun to watch as Stewart is.

Stewart has one of the more mature approaches in baseball. And he's very consistent with it. He's able to drive the ball the other way, especially on pitches located on the outer half. When a pitcher makes a mistake, Stewart is able to pull it for loud contact to left field.

He also brings a passion and a fire to his game that's rarely seen. Stewart is a mature leader in the clubhouse, and he's only 22 years old.

Sal Stewart is on a Historical Pace

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (42) hits a three-run home run in the second inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. Stewart scored two back-to-back three run home runs. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At the plate, the rookie is on a historic pace. Through 23 games, he has eight home runs, five doubles, and five stolen bases. That puts him on pace for 56 home runs, 35 doubles, and 35 stolen bases if he plays 162 games this season. He's slashing .289/.388/.639 with an elite walk rate, elite barrel percentage, and elite wOBA. All the expected stats indicate he's not getting lucky either.

Stewart is above average in practically every metric right now. He's one of the best players in the league through 23 games, which is quite shocking coming from a rookie.

MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince recently ranked Stewart as the leader in the early race for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

Sal Stewart Leads the Early NL Rookie of the Year Race

Apr 20, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) celebrates after hitting a two run home run in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

"This is the early favorite. It’s not just impact -- but loud impact. The guy hit a pair of three-run homers in the same game. Before the end of the second inning! That’s loud," Castrovince wrote. "Stewart entered the weekend tied for second in the Majors in homers (seven), ranking fifth in OPS (1.095) and tied for eighth in RBIs (17). He had even swiped a few bags and had walked (13) nearly as many times as he had struck out (15)."

Stewart is the clear early favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year award. The Reds haven't had a Rookie of the Year winner since Jonathan India in 2021.

Nolan McLean is a very talented young pitcher. He could make a case to take the award from Stewart. Konnor Griffin, Andrew Painter, and JJ Wetherholt all have solid cases to be candidates by the end of the year.

But right now, the award is Stewart's to lose. He's on an incredible pace and seems to be getting better with each passing game.

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