Sal Stewart Earns MLB All-Rookie Team Nod After Cincinnati Reds Season

The Cincinnati Reds had an awful year in 2026. Still, they have to feel good knowing they have Sal Stewart locked down for the foreseeable future.

Stewart was named to the 2026 MLB All-Rookie Team after putting together one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history, MLB Pipeline announced on X.

Stewart finished his first full MLB season with a .263 average, .330 on-base percentage and .787 OPS, hitting 32 home runs, driving in 112 runs and playing all 162 games. He was one of only seven players in baseball to appear in every game this season.

The RBI total was the biggest individual accomplishment of his rookie season. Stewart set a Reds rookie record with 101 RBIs in August, passing Jim Greengrass' mark of 100 that had stood since 1953.

He finished with 112, which ranked second in the National League and third in the majors. He also became the 14th rookie in MLB history to reach 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in the same season. His 32 home runs ranked third among rookies and have him in the race for NL Rookie of the Year. 

His production did not amount to any team success. The Reds finished 75-87 and fifth in the NL Central, 28 games behind the division-winning Milwaukee Brewers. It marked a huge step backwards after making the postseason back in 2025.

Stewart was one of the few consistent offensive pieces in the everyday lineup aside from Elly De La Cruz.

De La Cruz exploded at the end of the season. But the All-Star duo simply could not do enough. After all, baseball is a team sport. The Reds have two legitimate young hitters to build around heading into 2027. But they are going to have to add more.

The Reds drafted Stewart in the first round with the 32nd overall pick in 2022 and he reached the majors in September 2025 after moving through the minors quickly. He even played for Cincinnati for their short two-game wild card series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He entered 2026 with high expectations and he met them.

Now the Reds have to figure out how much more they can build around him. Stewart has already shown he can handle a full season while producing at an elite level. After a disappointing 2026 campaign, Cincinnati needs more help around its young hitters if that production is going to mean something in October.