Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz wasn’t the only Red making noise this season. Spencer Stewart turned in the kind of rookie year that leaves a mark, and on Monday he got the biggest prize that comes with it: National League Rookie of the Year.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced the award during an awards show on MLB Network and MLB+. Stewart collected 20 of the 30 first-place votes and finished with 170 points. Mets outfielder Carson Benge was next with seven first-place votes and 107 points, while Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt received three first-place votes and 99 points.
Stewart’s season was built on production in the moments that matter most. The 22-year-old kept coming through for Cincinnati in run-scoring spots, and the numbers backed up the feeling that he had a knack for driving in runs. He was an NL All-Star in his first full big league season and played every game, finishing with a .263 average, a .787 OPS, 32 home runs and 112 RBIs across 162 games and 161 starts.
His versatility also stood out. Stewart started at first base, third base, second base and designated hitter, giving the Reds a bat they could plug in just about anywhere.
The power numbers put him in rare company. Stewart joined Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only Reds rookies to hit 30 homers in a season, and he became the only Cincinnati rookie to post a 30-homer, 100-RBI campaign. That kind of year has been done only 14 times by a Major League rookie, and every player to do it since the award was created in 1947 had gone on to win Rookie of the Year before Stewart.
He also led all NL rookies in home runs, RBIs, extra-base hits with 57 and total bases with 285. His 164 hits were tied for second among NL rookies and were the most by a Reds rookie since Pete Rose had 170 in 1963. Stewart finished second in runs scored with 87 and third in walks with 63.
The home-road split added another layer to the season. Even with Great American Ball Park’s reputation as a hitter-friendly place, Stewart actually hit more homers away from Cincinnati, with 17 on the road and 15 at home. He also showed a polished approach throughout the year, working deep counts and using the whole field.
Stewart’s award gives Cincinnati its ninth Rookie of the Year winner, moving the Reds into a group that includes the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves and A’s. The previous Reds winners were Jonathan India in 2021, Scott Williamson in 1999, Chris Sabo in 1988, Pat Zachry in 1976, Johnny Bench in 1968, Tommy Helms in 1966, Pete Rose in 1963 and Frank Robinson in 1956.
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