The National League Rookie of the Year race has settled into a tight three-man fight, and Sal Stewart, JJ Wetherholt and Carson Benge have all made convincing cases. Stewart may have the flashiest raw production, but Wetherholt’s all-around value and Benge’s late surge have kept this thing from turning into a runaway.
Stewart, the Reds’ 22-year-old first baseman, has been the headline name for good reason. He’s hitting .261/.334/.472 with 28 home runs, 100 RBIs, 75 runs and 12 stolen bases, and his RBI total doesn’t just lead NL rookies - it leads the majors.
If that holds, he’d become only the third rookie since 1920 to pace the big leagues in RBIs, joining Ted Williams in 1939 and Walt Dropo in 1950. He also leads NL rookies in extra-base hits and total bases, and sits second in hits.
The defensive profile is where the conversation gets more complicated. First base doesn’t carry the same weight in WAR calculations as other spots, though Stewart’s ability to bounce around helps.
He also has time at third base and second base, which adds some versatility to his case. Reds manager Terry Francona made clear where he stands on the debate, saying last week: “Obviously, I’m going to be very biased - as I should be," Reds manager Terry Francona said last week.
"Sal’s leading the league in RBIs. That to me, I think that’s a stat that people don’t value as much anymore.
I look up at that all the time, me and Freddie [Benavides, the bench coach], that WRC+ on the board. There’s a lot of players that have WRC’s higher than Sal.
One guy had 19 RBIs. I don’t get it.
There’s something to be said for a guy that’s got 13 stolen bases, 26 home runs and 90 RBIs. That’s pretty damn good.”
If Stewart gets the award, he’d give Cincinnati its first NL Rookie of the Year since Jonathan India in 2021.
Wetherholt has built a very different kind of argument in St. Louis.
The 23-year-old Cardinals second baseman is hitting .245/.348/.376 with 17 homers, 48 RBIs, 88 runs and 14 steals, and his case is anchored by his on-base ability, his defense and the fact that he has spent the season as the Cardinals’ leadoff hitter in Busch Stadium. Among NL rookies, he leads in runs scored and owns the best WAR marks in the group, with 4.6 fWAR and 4.9 bWAR.
His fielding run value sits at 22, and he’s also second in the NL in Statcast’s outs above average.
What Wetherholt gives up in power, he makes up for with glove work. Marmol pointed to his steadiness and maturity, saying, "He knows what gives him success," Marmol said.
"He’s committed to it and that’s probably the last thing that comes to a young player, a real strong conviction behind that. He’s come into the big leagues with that, as secure as anybody I’ve seen.
That allows him to play the game a certain way. He understands this is a process and never hits the panic button.”
The Cardinals haven’t had a Rookie of the Year since Albert Pujols in 2001.
Benge, meanwhile, has pushed himself into the race with a strong August. The Mets outfielder is batting .281/.341/.429 with 16 homers, 53 RBIs, 68 runs and 19 stolen bases, and he has also chipped in multiple outfield assists.
He is second in the NL with nine outfield assists for the season. On paper, his numbers may not jump off the page the way Stewart’s do or match Wetherholt’s overall value, but Benge has the most balanced profile of the trio.
He ranks third among NL rookies in home runs and stolen bases and sixth in OPS.
“He’s a special guy,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said of Benge last weekend. “It’s a lot of fun watching him play baseball.”
The Mets’ last Rookie of the Year was Pete Alonso in 2019.
There’s also a bigger payoff on the line beyond the trophy itself. Because Stewart, Wetherholt and Benge were all on Opening Day rosters, each is eligible for the Prospect Promotion Incentive, giving his team a chance at a bonus pick after the first round of the 2027 Draft.
With five weeks left in the regular season, the race still has room to shift before Baseball Writers’ Association of America voters cast their ballots.
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