Sal Stewart has a goal, and he's not shy about sharing it. The 22-year-old first baseman wants to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. In most cases, that kind of declaration from a player who hasn't taken a regular season at-bat would feel premature. With Stewart, it just feels like a statement of intent from a player who knows exactly how good he is.
Through spring training, Stewart is slashing .318/.423/.636 with impressive power numbers that have veteran teammates doing double-takes. MLB Pipeline's prospect evaluators — Dykstra, Mayo, and Callis — are projecting him to contend for the NL batting title. Blog Red Machine went even further, drawing a Pete Rose comparison for his aggressive but disciplined approach at the plate. That's heady company for a kid who hasn't played a regular season game yet.
Filling the Hole
To understand why Stewart matters so much, you have to understand what the Reds have been missing. Since trading away Jesse Winker and Nick Castellanos, Cincinnati has lacked a consistent, high-OBP bat that can anchor the middle of the lineup. They've tried stop-gap solutions and platoon arrangements, but the hole has persisted.
Stewart fills it. His bat-first profile at first base and designated hitter is exactly the offensive archetype the Reds have needed. He doesn't just make contact — he makes hard contact, driving the ball with authority to all fields. His .423 on-base percentage this spring isn't a fluke; it's the product of a mature plate approach that draws walks and rarely chases pitches out of the zone.
The Lineup Around Him
Stewart enters the regular season penciled into the everyday lineup, likely batting fifth or sixth. Consider the protection that creates for the hitters ahead of him. TJ Friedl leads off. Matt McLain, in the midst of a historic spring, hits second. Elly De La Cruz bats third. Eugenio Suárez hits cleanup. And then Stewart — a legitimate power threat who punishes mistakes.
That's a lineup with no easy outs from one through six. Opposing pitchers can't pitch around De La Cruz because Suárez is behind him. They can't pitch around Suárez because Stewart is behind him. For the first time in years, the Reds have genuine lineup depth that forces opposing staffs to engage every hitter honestly.
Defense and Development
Stewart's defense at first base won't win Gold Gloves, but it's been adequate this spring — footwork around the bag is solid, and his hands are soft enough to handle the position. The Reds aren't asking him to be Keith Hernandez over there. They're asking him to catch the ball and hit the ball, and on the latter count, he's been exceptional.
There's also room to grow. At 22, Stewart is still developing physically and technically. His power numbers could increase as he gains experience reading major league pitching and learns which counts to ambush. The underlying metrics — exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit percentage — all project above-average offensive production at the big league level.
Rookie of the Year? Why Not.
The NL Rookie of the Year field will be competitive, but Stewart has as good a shot as anyone. He's got the supporting lineup to drive in runs, the plate discipline to post a high OBP, and the confidence to handle the spotlight. The Reds haven't had a Rookie of the Year winner since 1999 (Scott Williamson). If Stewart's spring is any indication of what's to come, the drought could end this October. He came to camp with a goal. Nothing about the last month suggests he can't reach it.
