Cincinnati Reds’ Sal Stewart Named Finalist for Major Award

Cincinnati Reds corner infielder Sal Stewart was named one of three National League finalists for the 2026 Players Choice Award for Outstanding Rookie, earning recognition from his fellow major-leaguers after an impressive first full season.

The MLB Players Association announced the finalists on X, with Stewart representing Cincinnati alongside Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield and St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt. The award is voted on entirely by major-league players, making the nomination a peer recognition of his rookie campaign.

Stewart gave the Reds a productive bat throughout the entire season. He hit .263 with a .330 on-base percentage and .787 OPS across all 162 games, finishing with 32 home runs, 112 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, 164 hits and 87 runs scored.

His 32 home runs led the team and his 112 RBIs made him one of the more reliable run producers in the National League. He also earned his first All-Star selection at 22, becoming one of the younger players in the game this year to earn a shot in the Midsummer Classic.

Stewart got a cup of coffee in 2025. He appeared in 18 games and hit five home runs, offering an early glimpse of the power he would display over a full season. He even played his way into the postseason lineup that year.

Stewart was drafted by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft with the 32nd overall pick out of high school, and has shown the ability to handle first base, third base and second base. He likely will play mostly first base moving forward.

The Reds finished 75-87 and fifth in the NL Central, well behind the division-winning Milwaukee Brewers. It was a tough year for the club and they clearly took a step backwards. It is possible they enter a longer rebuild this offseason.

Regardless of which direction Cincinnati chooses, Stewart is going to be a huge part of whatever comes next. He is under team control for years and has already proven he is going to hit in the middle of the order.

Stewart's production was one of the few clear positives on a team that struggled to turn its young talent into wins.

Reaching the final three puts him among the league's most notable first-year performers. Whether he wins will be announced in the coming weeks, but the nomination alone reflects how his peers viewed what he accomplished this season.