Sal Stewart’s season has been loud enough to force the issue, and yet Baseball America still slotted the Cincinnati Reds infielder down at No. 14 on its list of the top 20 rookies to watch in Major League Baseball.
That ranking, released Friday by Matt Eddy, didn’t line up with what Stewart has put on the field. Eddy did acknowledge the rough patch, writing, "Stewart’s production has dipped after a hot start, but he appears to be hitting into some bad luck. He is a strong rebound candidate, who has banked a lot of production already, including 22 homers and a rookie-best 45 extra-base hits."
Even with the slump Eddie referenced, Stewart’s numbers still jump off the page. He is hitting .255/.334/.477 with 46 extra-base hits, including 23 home runs, and he leads all of Major League Baseball with 84 RBIs.
That’s why the gap in the rankings stands out. Kevin McGonigle, who was placed No. 1, has an .814 OPS and 34 RBIs.
JJ Wetherholt, ranked No. 2, is batting .251/.348/.393 with a .741 OPS, a mark that sits just 20 points above league average. Wetherholt has been excellent defensively at second base, but the offensive comparison makes Stewart’s No. 14 spot look tough to square.
There’s room to debate the top of any rookie list. Stewart at No. 14, though, feels like a major miss.
He added to his case Friday night, driving in four runs in the Reds’ win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. His 84 RBIs through July are the most by a National League rookie since 1920.
2026: Sal Stewart - 84 RBIs 1928: Del Bissonette - 83 RBIs 1930: Wally Berger - 81 RBIs 2001: Albert Pujols - 78 RBIs 2019: Pete Alonso - 77 RBIs
For all the production, Stewart isn’t chasing the numbers for their own sake. After the win, Reds broadcaster Jim Day asked him about the milestone, and Stewart made clear that his focus stays elsewhere.
It’s easy to forget he’s only 22, because the bat has played so maturely. The Reds have something special here.
In Other News...
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It also explains why St. Louis keeps surfacing in the conversation. The Cardinals have more catching depth than most clubs, which naturally makes them an appealing neighbor on paper, but trading across the division is rarely simple. Any deal for one of their catchers would come at a steep price, and for the Reds, the challenge is not just identifying a fit, but figuring out whether the cost would be worth paying. [Read more 🡒]
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Reds Deadline Could Bring Elly De La Cruz The Infield Help He Needs
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One name drawing speculation is Baltimore infielder Jackson Holliday, a young player now on the trade block and the kind of addition that would fit a team trying to support its young core. For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious: a chance to add more infield stability around Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart while the deadline market takes shape, even if no deal is close to being done. [Read more 🡒]