Sal Stewart is ready.

The Cincinnati Reds‘ biggest need last season was power. And this season, from Opening Day on, they’ll have Stewart to provide it.

It’s not a given that Stewart will hit the ground running, but he provided some great, positive signs at the end of last season when Cincy promoted him to the major leagues.

In just 55 MLB at bats, Stewart slugged five home runs. That’s an incredible rate if he can come even close to it over the course of a whole season.

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He’s also been one of Cincinnati manager Terry Francona’s favorite hitters for a while, which can only help the 22-year old’s cause.

“Terry Francona played in the big leagues for 10 years and is entering his 25th season as a manager,” ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez wrote in a new article on Wednesday. “Dating to spring training last year, he has continually called Stewart one of the most advanced young hitters he has ever seen. Stewart proved that during the stretch run of the Reds’ 2025 season, when he was called up in September, popped five home runs and earned his way onto their postseason roster.”

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Stewart wasn’t ready to start last season in the majors.

This season, for the Reds to reach their ceiling, he certainly has to.

“Now, at 22 years old, he’ll seemingly start the season as the everyday first baseman and look to jolt a Reds offense that underperformed last year,” Gonzalez writes. “He is among the favorites for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, as he should be.”

Stewart, for whatever this is worth, also has a perfectly alliterative name perfect for baseball. That’s gotta count for something.

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