The Cincinnati Reds are one of the more intriguing teams to follow right now because they have a few solid pieces on their team like Sal Stewart, Elly De La Cruz, and Chase Burns, but the rest of their lineup struggled so much this season that they missed the postseason.
Stewart is one of the better sluggers in baseball after his dominant rookie campaign, but there are still members of the media who don’t fully believe in him.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently ranked Stewart as the No. 6 rookie in the league, which is incredibly low considering how dominant he was for a large majority of the season. Reuter cited Stewart’s lack of an elite glove and lack of value on the bases as reasons why he was ranked so low despite hitting over 30 home runs with over 110 RBIs.
Sal Stewart Ranked as the No. 6 Rookie in MLB
Sep 16, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Limited value with his glove and on the bases capped Stewart’s WAR total, but there is simply no ignoring a 32-homer, 111-RBI campaign,” Reuter wrote. “He was the only rookie to play in all 162 games, and that grind eventually took a toll as he hit .247/.287/.280 with one home run in September.”
Stewart is penalized as a defender because he’s a first baseman. He’s not a bad defender at the position, but WAR doesn’t value the position very much. If he played third base every day at the same level he plays first base, he would be worth more to the Reds by WAR’s standards.
Stewart is an elite bat with the ability to leave the yard at any time against any pitcher. He did so 32 times in his first full season in the big leagues, which is a trait that not many other rookies have. Stewart was also an elite hitter with runners in scoring position, which accounts for his incredible RBI total.
The Reds’ rookie should be headed for the National League Rookie of the Year award this season, but there are a few other NL rookies with a shot at the award. Still, Stewart is the most deserving. Either way, the Reds have a potential superstar on their hands if Stewart can continue to produce like this for the next few years.
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