Two MLB Analysts Make Bold Claims About Sal Stewart’s Rookie of the Year Chances

Reds infielder Sal Stewart has had a ridiculous rookie season and he's currently the slight favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

MLB analyst and Team USA manager Mark DeRosa weighed in on who should win the award.

"I know it's going to be a dogfight between him and JJ Weatherholt," DeRosa said on MLB Network. "I just think Sal has had the bigger moments, so to speak. I would lean Sal Stewart right now. Sal has been a middle-of-the-order bat as a rookie, driving in three digits."

"It's very hard to do what he's accomplished right now, on a team that has struggled."

Chris Young agreed.

"This should not be a close race," Young said. "We're talking about 28 and 100 right now. It leaves me to believe that WAR, although it's not a scam, it's getting to be a little scam-ish."

Stewart is slashing .261/.334/.472 with 52 extra-base hits, including 28 home runs and a league-leading 100 RBIs.

A Stewart win would also be significant for the Reds, who would receive an additional draft pick through the Prospect Promotion Incentive. That could be especially valuable for an organization that currently has a relatively thin minor league system.

Joey Votto Helped Spencer Steer With Position Change

Former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Spencer Steer was a Gold Glove finalist at first base last season. That is impressive because Steer did not come up through the minor leagues playing first base. He was forced to learn the position and he credits Reds legend Joey Votto for helping him.

“He gave me a lot of stuff you don’t think about like footwork around the bag,” Steer told Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard. “For me, the toughest thing when I first started playing first base was how far you’ve got to play off to take away the four hole. It’s sprinting to the bag, getting to the bag and picking up the ball. When I started playing first base, that sped up on me. He helped me a lot with that footwork — sprinting to the bag, finding it and picking up the ball from your infielders. That really helped me.”

Votto was the veteran presence on a young Reds team in 2023, and it’s clear he passed along plenty of knowledge to the group.

“The way that he thought about hitting and approached hitting, it was just really unique,” Steer said. “I didn’t get to play a ton with him, but the time I did was really impactful.”

Votto is in his first year as an analyst with NBC Sports and will be on the call for Sunday’s Reds-Cubs game on August 30. It will give Reds fans another opportunity to hear from the former Cincinnati star as he continues his transition into broadcasting.

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