After impressive debut, Stewart could be key piece for Reds in '26

ORLANDO, Fla. -- As the Reds were pushing to make the playoffs in September, their home run leader for the month wasn't Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer or any other veteran player.

It was rookie Sal Stewart, who was promoted on Sept. 1 and led the club with five homers.

Ranked No. 1 in the organization and No. 31 overall by MLB Pipeline, the right-handed-hitting Stewart will still have rookie status in 2026. That should make him an early frontrunner for National League Rookie of the Year, assuming the infielder can make the team in Spring Training and continue to develop.

"It's going to be interesting because we love, love the hitter," Reds manager Terry Francona said at the Winter Meetings earlier this month. "I remember all the way back last year in Spring Training -- I think I told you guys I thought he was one of the most advanced young hitters I'd seen, and I believe that. Rarely do you see guys come to the big leagues like that late in the year, and he wasn't overwhelmed."

Over 18 games with Cincinnati, Stewart batted .255/.293/.545 with eight RBIs and 11 runs scored. It included a hit in his first plate appearance vs. the Blue Jays in his debut and a pair of three-hit games and one two-hit game.

At 21 years and 268 days old, Stewart was the youngest Red to make his Major League debut at first base since Dick Hoblitzell (19 years, 315 days) in 1908. Per Elias, he was the youngest position player in Reds history to play in a postseason game when he appeared in both losing games vs. the Dodgers in the NL Wild Card Series.

There was an obvious adjustment curve for Stewart, who essentially learned the position on the fly. It showed on a grounder in Game 2 at Los Angeles when he made a sixth-inning error with his bad throw to pitcher Nick Martinez covering first base. That led to a four-run inning in an 8-4 loss and elimination from the playoffs.

Still exploring the free-agent and trade markets for a proven middle-of-the-order hitter, the Reds don't yet know the makeup of their roster and thus, where Stewart might fit.

As he worked through the Minors, Stewart was mostly a third baseman and played some second base. After one game of playing first base at Triple-A Louisville, he was promoted to the big leagues and debuted there.

That's because third base became locked down by two-time NL Gold Glove Award winner Ke'Bryan Hayes, who was acquired in a trade from the Pirates on July 29. The club would like to see the defensively-gifted Matt McLain bounce back offensively from a down year and secure his spot at second base.

The Reds currently appear to be unsettled at first base, left field and designated hitter. Steer, who was superb defensively at first base last season, can play all over -- including left field. If the Reds don't acquire a power-hitting first baseman, Stewart could earn the job with a good camp.

A longtime axiom of the big leagues has been that if a player can hit, teams will find a spot for him to play. That definitely applies to Stewart, but they would like to see him show growth as a defender, too.

Bench and infield coach Freddie Benavides recently visited Stewart near his home in Miami to work with him at first base.

"Where his game goes defensively, we're still trying to figure that out," Francona said. "I talked to him at length -- it's been a while now -- but about being agile. People talk about his weight. I said, 'I don't want to talk about your weight, I want you to be athletic.' Because he's a baseball player. Where that fits, we'll see."