Eye-popping Sal Stewart prediction links Reds rookie to Pete Rose

Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart has captured the attention of fans and pundits alike, and a lot of people are attaching a lot of predictions to his upcoming rookie season. The wildest one, however, comes courtesy of MLB Pipeline's trio of Sam Dykstra, Jonathan Mayo, and Jim Callis who are projecting Stewart to contend for the National League batting title in 2026.

The last time a Reds player won the NL batting title was all the way back in 1973 when Pete Rose took home the honors after hitting .338. Rose also won the NL batting title in 1968 and 1969. The only other Reds players to earn such accolades dating back to 1900 were Cy Seymour (1905), Hal Chase (1916), Edd Roush (1917, 1919), Bubbles Hargave (1926), and Ernie Lombardi (1938).

Could Reds rookie Sal Stewart really win the 2026 NL batting title?

Since 2000, only one rookie has ever won a battling, and that was Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 with the Seattle Mariners. The Hall of Famer — who was 27 years old at the time — hit .350/.381/.457 en route to the AL Rookie of the Year and the AL MVP Award. If Stewart can get anywhere close to those numbers, Reds manager Terry Francona might figure out a way to do a handstand.

But these predictions and numbers don't just appear out of thin air. Stewart has a solid track record in the minor leagues, and put in a ton of work this past offseason to arrive at spring camp in the best shape of his life. Stewart dropped over 20 pounds, but it hasn't affected his power. Through 10 Cactus League games, he's hitting .308/.400/.577 with three extra-base hits, including a pair of home runs.

Stewart has hit at every single level, and there's no reason to believe that won't continue once he adjusts to seeing Major League caliber pitching on a consistent basis. Stewart played just eight games in the Arizona Complex League after being drafted, then posted an .819 OPS at Low-A Daytona in 2023. He put up an .844 OPS at High-A Dayton the following season, and then took off in 2025.

Through the first half of his third professional season, Stewart was hitting .306/.377/.473 at Double-A Chattanooga before being promoted to Triple-A Louisville where he posted a .315/.394/.629 slash line. Stewart made his big-league debut last September, was a key piece of the Reds lineup down the stretch, and arguably their best postseason performer.

Stewart's already stated his goal of winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2026. If he's able to reach the lofty projections from the contributors at MLB Pipeline, he'll have no trouble being a runaway winner for the award.