CINCINNATI — Sal Stewart’s historic rookie season keeps earning recognition. The Cincinnati Reds first baseman was named a finalist for the National League’s Outstanding Rookie Award on Wednesday, as the MLBPA Players Choice Awards put the 22-year-old one step closer to a major honor after a breakthrough 2026 campaign.
Stewart is one of three finalists for the peer-voted award, alongside Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield and St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt. The recognition carries particular weight because it comes from fellow players — a sign that Sal Stewart’s peers view him as the most deserving rookie in the league. Notably absent from the final three: New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean and his teammate Carson Benge, arguably Stewart’s closest competition for the separate BBWAA Rookie of the Year award.
Sal Stewart’s Historic Rookie Season by the Numbers
Stewart was the Reds’ most productive player for the majority of the 2026 season, finishing with a .263/.330/.457 slash line, 32 home runs, 112 RBIs and a 112 wRC+. He earned Rookie of the Month honors in August, when he set a Reds rookie record with 101 RBIs — passing Jim Greengrass’ mark of 100 that had stood since 1953.
Stewart finished the season with 112 RBIs, second in the National League and third in the majors. He became just the 14th rookie in MLB history to reach 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in the same season, and he was one of only seven players in baseball to appear in all 162 games. Earlier this month, MLB Pipeline named Sal Stewart to the 2026 MLB All-Rookie Team after one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history.
Drafted 32nd overall in 2022, Stewart reached the majors in September 2025 after a rapid climb through the minors, hitting five home runs in 18 games. Coming into 2026, he was viewed as the offensive addition the Reds needed most — a middle-of-the-order power bat for a lineup that didn’t have nearly enough of them.
Sal Stewart Faces Stiff Competition for Top Honors
The debate around Sal Stewart’s candidacy splits along old-school and new-school lines. Traditionalists point to the RBI total: all seven rookies to tally at least 111 RBIs in a season over the past seven decades were named Rookie of the Year, four of them unanimously. Stewart batted .301/.361/.569 with runners in scoring position, and the Reds ranked dead last in the National League in scoring — he made the most of limited opportunities.
The advanced metrics are less fond of Stewart, who finished with 1.8 bWAR and minus-2 outs above average in the field. Wetherholt was the early favorite and leads all NL rookies with a 4.5 bWAR, fueled by a +25 outs above average that was tied for the best mark in MLB, but his bat faded down the stretch and he missed time with right wrist tendinitis. Benge made a late run, while McLean led all rookies with 194 strikeouts across 31 starts. Even so, Bleacher Report picked Sal Stewart to win the NL Rookie of the Year, and the Players Choice finalist nod suggests his peers agree.
Sal Stewart Also a Finalist for the Hank Aaron Award
The Outstanding Rookie finalist honor is just the latest item on Sal Stewart’s growing résumé. This week he was also named one of 10 National League finalists for the Hank Aaron Award, given annually to the best overall offensive performer in each league. Stewart and Elly De La Cruz both made the cut, making Cincinnati one of just two teams — along with the Tampa Bay Rays, with Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz — to land multiple finalists.
It was a season of individual brilliance amid team disappointment. The Reds finished 75-87, fifth in the NL Central and 28 games behind the division-winning Milwaukee Brewers, with the worst batting average in the majors at .229. Manager Terry Francona moved Stewart and De La Cruz to the top of the lineup in the second half to stabilize the order.
With the Players Choice finalist announcement, Sal Stewart has moved one step closer to the major honor his rookie season deserves — and the Reds have two legitimate young hitters to build around heading into 2027.