Reds Hit Jackpot With Sal Stewart; Can He Rebound From Recent Slump?

The Reds have plenty of reasons to be excited about the future with Sal Stewart on the roster.

Apr 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Players and coaches will wear No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day around the league. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds are atop the National League Central after the month of April, and the city is buzzing with excitement.

The team has a lot to be excited about. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz is off to the best start of his career. He's firmly placed himself in the NL MVP race early in the year.

Rookie Sal Stewart is one of the better players in the NL, too. He got off to a scorching start, but has slowed down a bit as the calendar approached May. Still, he leads the league in RBI after 31 games.

Sal Stewart is Off to a Hot Start for the Reds

Apr 25, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) hits a two-run single against the Detroit Tigers in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Through 31 games, Stewart is slashing .281/.373/.570 with a WAR of 1.2, seven stolen bases, and nine home runs. He's consistently on time with the fastball and the breaking ball. His approach allows him to hit well with two strikes, which has become a staple in his game.

The sky is the limit for the young Reds infielder. He has the potential to be one of the better hitters in the league for a very long time.

Recently, Stewart has hit his first slump in Cincinnati. He's struggled for about a week, but there are still some signs that indicate he will bounce back.

Thomas Nestico of TJStats recently discussed Stewart's breakout and detailed a few concerns in his profile, but he also highlighted a slew of good signs for the young Reds infielder.

Sal Stewart Should Continue to Produce All Year for the Reds

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) runs for third on a Tyler Stephenson double in the eighth 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. The Reds won 6-4. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"His contact quality rivals that of some of the best hitters in MLB thanks to his ability to consistently lift his hardest hits and put a ton of balls in play. This aggressive nature allows him to pounce on pitchers early in the count and lace hits all over the field for plenty of high-quality batted balls," Nestico wrote. "This approach, however, raises one of the few concerns I have about Stewart’s profile. He is sometimes too aggressive, which has led to both an inflated chase rate and whiff rate against fastballs. He is absolutely crushing heaters with an incredible 64.4 HardHit%, so it might not matter in the long run, but it is something to note."

Every hitter is going to go through slumps. Stewart is still one of the better hitters in the league right now. Pitchers have begun adjusting to him, so now it's his turn to adjust back to the way he's being pitched now.

Nestico believes Stewart will be able to continue producing at a high level for the Reds despite his eagerness to chase on occasion.

"Stewart produces some of the highest quality batted balls in MLB and has the perfect home park to account for his lack of air-pull," Nestico wrote. "There is some concern about his whiff rates against fastballs, but that will not matter if he continues to destroy them."

Stewart is one of the favorites for the NL Rookie of the Year award for a reason. His potential is incredible. He's going to be a steady run producer for the Reds for years to come.