Sal Stewart showed in his brief stint in the major leagues at the end of last season that he should be able to hit for power at the MLB level.
He has proven that without a doubt in his first full season with the Cincinnati Reds.
Stewart is up to 32 home runs and counting with about 10 days left to play in the regular season.
It hasn’t worked out perfectly for Cincy, which will miss the playoffs after sneaking in at the end of the 2025 campaign.
But they now know that they can rely on Stewart in the heart of their order for years and years to come.
He’s also got an outside shot at setting a franchise record, although it would require a blistering finish to the season for Stewart.
Sal Stewart Chasing Reds Record
Stewart currently ranks second in Reds history for home runs in a season by a rookie.
The previous second-place on the list belonged to Joey Votto, who hit 24 homers in the 2008 season.
Stewart blew past Votto, though, and now he’s got his eyes on the top spot:
In 1956, Frank Robinson blasted 38 homers as a Reds rookie.
So yeah, Stewart would have to go deep in almost every game down the stretch, but he’s at least within striking distance.
Most home runs by a Reds rookie in a season:
1956 Frank Robinson: 38
2026 Sal Stewart: 32
2008 Joey Votto: 24— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 17, 2026
To be fair to Stewart, as well, finishing second place on this list behind just an all-time great in Robinson would be quite the impressive outcome, too.
Particularly when you consider that the Reds’ lineup this season hasn’t provided a ton of protection for Stewart, it’s even more notable.
Elly De La Cruz and Stewart look like they form a great core, and it’ll be up to Cincinnati this offseason to build a better team around them.
Sal Stewart Stats
Stewart, who is still just 22 years old, isn’t just hitting for power this seasno.
He has put up a .271 batting average and an .816 OPS. In 153 games, he has 25 doubles to go with his 32 homers.
Stewart ranks second in the National League through Sept. 17 with 109 RBI, behind just the 111 by Alec Burleson of the Cardinals.
The sturdy Stewart has also stolen 15 bases in 21 attempts.
He has 61 walks, too, a decent total, and his 144 strikeouts is a lower rate than some modern power hitters have.
Stewart has also adjusted to being mostly a first baseman, having only made two errors at that spot all season while also spending some time at third base and second base.
The future is bright for Stewart in Cincinnati, and it sure seems like he’s got some more home runs to hit, both this season and in the years to come.
Reds’ Sal Stewart Chasing 1956 Record