Sal Stewart has had an electric start to the season for the Cincinnati Reds.
The Cincinnati Reds are just four games into the 2025 season and Sal Stewart is already making a big impact.
Stewart put together one of the most dominant opening weeks any hitter in baseball has seen, and the recognition followed quickly. Through the Reds first three games, the 22-year-old rookie first baseman slashed .700/.769/2.069 with a home run and three doubles, helping Cincinnati win its opening series against the Boston Red Sox and proving himself to be a legitimate force in the batter's box.
Stewart took home National League Player of the Week for his individual efforts. The organization was quick to celebrate his success on social media. "SALBERT! Sal Stewart has been named the NL Player of the Week," the Reds wrote on X.
For a rookie to earn that honor just days into his first full big-league season is remarkable, but Stewart has never seemed fazed by the moment. He appeared in 18 games at the MLB level last year and handled that exposure well.
Then at spring training this year he kept right on rolling, posting a .327 batting average, .450 on base percentage and 1.042 OPS across 20 games with three home runs, eight RBIs and four steals. The hot streak has carried over seamlessly into the regular season.
None of this is surprising to those who have followed Stewart’s rise. The Reds selected him in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft with high expectations, and he has yet to hit a significant road bump at any level.
His power and plate discipline are his defining traits, and he has the versatility to play both corner infield positions, giving manager Terry Francona options with how he deploys him.
Perhaps the biggest signal of how highly Francona views Stewart came before the season even began. He entered spring training competing for the cleanup spot and won it outright over established right‑handed slugger Eugenio Suarez. That kind of trust in a first-year player speaks volumes, and through four games it has already paid off.
Stewart is now the early frontrunner for National League Rookie of the Year, and it is easy to see why. Outside of Elly De La Cruz, he is the most exciting and promising young player in the Cincinnati's lineup right now. The Reds made the playoffs last season and are looking to get back for a second consecutive year. If they do, Stewart figures to be a key reason why.