Cincinnati Reds Infielder Sal Stewart Awarded Honor After 2026 MLB Season

Sal Stewart's peers noticed what he did this season. The Cincinnati Reds infielder won the National League Outstanding Rookie award in the 2026 Players Choice Awards, voted on by active major-league players. The Reds announced the honor earlier this week. "Another one. Sal Stewart has been named the 2026 Players Choice Awards NL Outstanding Rookie‼️," the team wrote on X.

Stewart put together one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history at 22 years old. He hit .263 with a .330 on-base percentage and a .787 OPS across 162 games, starting 161 of them. He finished with 164 hits, 32 home runs, 111 RBI, 87 runs scored and 15 stolen bases.

The production was historically significant. Stewart became the first Reds rookie to appear in every game during the 162-game era. His 111 RBI broke the franchise rookie record of 100 set by Jim Greengrass in 1953. His 164 hits were the most by a Cincinnati rookie since Pete Rose collected 170 in 1963. 

The award carries added weight because it comes from players who faced him. National League pitchers and position players voted for Stewart as the best rookie in their league. That shows he has earned a ton of respect with his performance on the field.

Stewart also showed versatility that kept his bat in the lineup all season. He played first base, third base and second base while also seeing time at designated hitter, giving manager Terry Francona flexibility to work around other roster needs without sacrificing Stewart's production.

The season included a National League All-Star selection as well. For a player who made his major-league debut in September 2025 and appeared in just 18 games before his first full year, 2026 proved he is here to stay.

Unfortunately, none of it translated into team success. Cincinnati finished 75-87, fifth in the NL Central and 28 games behind the division-winning Milwaukee Brewers.

The Reds had a losing record in nearly every month of the season and never seriously competed in the division race. Stewart carried his part of the lineup. The organization will need more of that from the players around him in 2027.

What the Players Choice Award does is confirm that Stewart's season was not a product of a hitter-friendly park or a soft schedule. His peers around the league saw what he was doing and voted accordingly. That matters heading into his second full season.