Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart is making a strong case for NL Rookie of the Year.
The Cincinnati Reds pulled off a miraculous comeback on Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, scoring seven runs in the ninth inning to overcome a six-run deficit and steal a victory. Cincinnati would have been swept if they had lost.
Still, the Reds are not positioned to make the National League wild card race this season, sitting far out of the final spot and all but mathematically eliminated from contention in what has been a step backward as an organization this year.
That is not to say this year has been a total disaster for Cincinnati. In fact, the Reds may have found their next foundational piece in corner infielder Sal Stewart.
In his rookie season, the 22-year-old has erupted and is the overwhelming frontrunner to take home NL Rookie of the Year.
The award appears to be his as long as nobody else makes a big push over the final weeks of the regular season. His emergence has been the one storyline worth celebrating in an otherwise difficult year for this franchise.
During Wednesday's win, Stewart collected his 100th RBI, becoming the first player in the league to reach the mark this season. But that was not the only feat he accomplished.
"Not only is Sal Stewart the first player to 100 RBI, but he is the first rookie with a 100-RBI season since Pete Alonso in 2019!" MLB wrote on X.
For Stewart, reaching this mark before September even arrives speaks to what an elite situational hitter he already is at just 22 years old. He already has a clear ability to drive in baserunners.
The Reds have an All-Star to build around for the future, with Stewart having multiple seasons of team control remaining, which is invaluable for a small-market organization like Cincinnati looking to compete on a limited budget.
Stewart has posted a .261 batting average, .334 on-base percentage, .806 OPS, 28 home runs and 12 stolen bases across 134 games. He is a homegrown player, drafted by the Reds in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft, and the ceiling on what he can become is extremely high.
He still has plenty of time to add to his RBI total before the season ends, and based on what he has shown this year, there is every reason to believe the best is still ahead of him. Stewart and the Reds will not play Thursday as it is a travel day ahead of a weekend series at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.
