Complete Reds' Rookie of the Year history as Sal Stewart inches closer to 2026 award

Sal Stewart is looking to become the ninth player in Cincinnati Reds history to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. His torrid stretch during the month of August all but ended the debate between the Reds' slugger and St. Louis Cardinals' infielder JJ Wetherholt.

As the Reds begin their final six games of the 2026 season, Stewart leads all NL rookies in home runs (32) and RBI (110), and is among the top-5 in runs scored, walks, doubles, and slugging percentage. He's also among the top-10 in batting average, on-base percentage, and stolen bases.

Add to those stats his penchant for coming through in the big moments and a trip to the All-Star Game, and it's easy to why Stewart is the odds-on favorite to take home Rookie of the Year honors in 2026.

If and when Stewart receives the award, he'll join some elite company. Let's look back at the eight previous Reds players who've won the NL Rookie of the Year award.

Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and other Reds' legends have won NL Rookie of the Year

Frank Robinson (1956)

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1956 and also finish seventh in the MVP voting. Robinson's future would be littered with multiple awards, but his 38 home runs and 83 RBI in 1956 got the ball rolling. The Judge finished his career with 14 All-Star appearances, two MVP Awards, and two World Series championships.

Pete Rose (1963)

It's no surprise that the most recognizable player in Reds history took home the Rookie of the Year award during his first season in the big leagues. In 1963, Pete Rose hit .273 with only 72 strikeouts in 623 at-bats. Rose, of course, led the league in hits seven times during his career and was the NL batting champion on three occasions.

Tommy Helms (1966)

Tommy Helms was known more for his glove than his bat, as evidenced by his two Gold Glove awards and career .269 batting average. But in 1966, Helms outpaced every rookie with a .695 OPS. Helms cracked a career-best nine home runs that season, and went the All-Star Game the following two years.

Johnny Bench (1968)

Johnny Bench is one of the most decorated players in the history of Major League Baseball, and unsurprisingly, he has an NL Rookie of the Year award in his trophy case. The Hall of Fame catcher hit .275 in 1968 after receiving a cup of coffee in the big leagues the year prior. Bench was an All-Star during his first full year in the big leagues and also received a Gold Glove and down-ballot votes for NL MVP.

Pat Zachary (1976)

One of the most unlikely names on this list is former Major League pitcher Pat Zachary. At 24 years old, the right-hander was part of the starting rotation for the Big Red Machine during the 1976 season. He posted an impressive 2.74 ERA across 204 innings of work, and actually shared Rookie of the Year honors with San Diego Padres reliever Butch Metzger that season.

Chris Sabo (1988)

A fan-favorite during his time with the Reds, Chris Sabo won the 1988 NL Rookie of the Year. His trademark goggles helped to get him noticed, but Sabo's on-field performance was the reason for a successful nine-year career in the bigs. During his rookie campaign, Sabo was named to the NL All-Star squad. He collected 11 homers and 44 RBI in 1988, outpacing Chicago Cubs' star Mark Grace for the award.

Scott Williamson (1999)

Another unpredictable Rookie of the Year award-winner was Scott Williamson. The reliever made 62 appearances out of the Cincinnati bullpen in 1999 and recorded 19 saves while posting a 2.41 ERA. Williamson enjoyed two successful seasons in the Queen City, but arm injuries derailed his once promising career.

Jonathan India (2021)

Jonathan India's energetic and power-packed 2021 campaign should've earned him unanimous honors as the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year — thanks, Dan Szymborski. Instead, the Reds rookie fell one first-place vote short, but his .269/.376/.459 slash line and 21 home runs still allowed him to become the first Cincinnati player of the 21st century to win the award.

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