MLB execs seem unconvinced by what Reds fans saw from Sal Stewart

The MLB offseason has been slowed by the holidays (and Scott Boras), but top executives and pundits rarely shy away from offering their opinion — especially if they're able to remain anonymous. MLB.com recently polled execs from across Major League Baseball and asked a simple question, "Who will win the AL and NL Rookie of the Year Awards in 2026?"

Some of the top talent evaluators in the sport believe it'll be a two-way race in the American League between Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage. The chase to win Rookie of the Year honors in the National League, however, appears to be split among three players.

St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt, New York Mets starter Nolan McLean, and Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin all received at least 16% of the vote. Wetherholt was the leading vote-getter with 30.2%. But apparently those MLB execs forgot what they saw from Cincinnati Reds slugger Sal Stewart during his brief debut in 2025.

Reds rookie Sal Stewart disrespected by latest MLB poll

Stewart received a handful of votes — 4.7% to be exact — and was tied with Philadelphia Phillies outfield prospect Justin Crawford. Both players came in below the top three vote-getters and Pirates' right-hander Bubba Chandler, who received 7% of the vote.

Stewart had a cup of coffee with the Reds in 2025. After constant pleas from the Reds fanbase to call-up the team's top prospect, Cincinnati's decision-makers finally promoted Stewart to the big-league roster for the final month of the season. Stewart dominated both Double-A and Triple-A last season, and had little left to prove in the minors.

Stewart shined in his debut, and ended up playing 18 games to close out the regular season. In total, he recorded 14 base hits — six of which went for extra bases — while hitting .255/.293/.545 with a 121 OPS+ and a 124 wRC+.

Those are not pedestrian numbers, and while slightly lower than what he produced in the minors last season, the stats suggest the power-surge fans saw in 2025 was real. In 2024, Stewart appeared in 80 games for High-A Dayton and posted a .454 slugging percentage with a 143 wRC+. In 118 minor league games last season, Stewart slugged a combined .524 with a 152 wRC+.

Most experts expect Stewart to break camp with the Reds this spring, and while his position is still undefined, Terry Francona will undoubtedly find a way to get his young slugger into the lineup.

Reds fans know what they saw last season, and based on the hard work and dedication Stewart has put forth this offseason, he's looking to make some noise in 2026. The doubts seem to fuel Stewart, and this may be the latest example he'll use once the season begins.