Sal Stewart is having the kind of start that makes you think winning Rookie of the Year might be possible. Yes, it is but one series and a drop in the bucket in a 162-game season but that’s no reason not to get excited about the numbers he’s putting up. Subscribe to our email newsletter, and be sure to join us in the Reds game Livechat EACH game!
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During the course of the Reds season opening series victory over the Boston Red Sox, he racked up seven hits, a home run, two RBIs and a slash line of .700/.769/1.300 with a 2.069 OPS.
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Visit the Reds HUB →His advanced stats are even more impressive. Stewart is in the 98th percentile in Batting Run Value and xwOBA (.754), the 99th percentile for xBA (.609) and the 98th percentile for xSLG (1.198). His power metrics include a 95th percentile rank in Average Exit Velocity (99.3 mph), an 87th percentile rank in Barrel % (25.0%), and a 93rd percentile rank in Hard-Hit % (75.0%).
Stewart was the 2025 Southern League Most Valuable Player after hitting .306 with 10 home runs in 80 games at Double-A Chattanooga last year and the 2025 Cincinnati Reds Minor League Player of the Year award following a breakout season where he slashed .309/.383/.524 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI across Double-A and Triple-A. After being called up to the majors last year he slugged .545 with five home runs.
And he’s picking up exactly where he left off last season in terms of his power and poise, and the energy he brings to the diamond is absolutely incredible. Along with McLain and Suarez his insane start is something for Reds fans to keep a close eye on as the 2026 season opens up.
