Reds fans should brace for a difficult prospect decision down the road

As we endlessly wring our hands trying to come up with ways that the Cincinnati Reds can add some much- needed thump to the 2026 lineup, it feels weird to think that there might come a time in the near future when they have too much of a good thing.

Reds fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to see what Sal Stewart can do over a full season, even if the rest of the league forgot how impressive his .255/.293/.545 line was during his September call-up.

The young corner infielder is the Reds' top prospect, and already finds himself in the midst of a logjam with Ke'Bryan Hayes' defensive wizardry making him a lock at the hot corner and Spencer Steer vying for reps at first.

A look at MLB Pipeline's top 10 first base prospects shows another youngster, Cam Collier, will by joining the fray too soon.

The Reds may eventually have a tough decision to make with Sal Stewart and Cam Collier

Stewart's stellar September showing was the coda to a sizzling Minor League campaign that saw him hit .309/.383/.524 with 20 homers and 17 stolen bases between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. That performance helped him rise to No. 31 on the top-100, and the No 1 first base prospect.

Collier is no slouch either, placing sixth on the list of first base prospects, despite being further away. The Reds' first-round pick in 2022, Collier is incredibly young for each level he's played at, thanks to reclassifying and being just 17 years old when the Reds selected him 18th overall.

The youngster's 2024 showing put him on the map as he crushed 20 homers as a 19-year-old at High-A Dayton. Collier spent most of his 2025 campaign at Chattanooga and was nearly four years younger than the average competition at the Double-A level. There were some very encouraging signs, like his 14.6% walk rate and improvement with the hit tool, which allowed him to get on base at a .377 clip while batting a respectable .263. However, Collier suffered a thumb injury that lingered throughout the season and managed just 4 homers in total across all levels last year.

Both youngsters have the ability to play at either infield corner, which in theory should help both of them find a spot. This is where the deadline deal for Hayes rears its ugly head. The slick-fielding but light-hitting third baseman is under contract through 2029, blocking a space for one of these youngsters. In addition, Spencer Steer has three more years of team control.

That's not ideal with Collier potentially looking at a cup of coffee this season and, ideally, a chance to crack the 2027 Opening Day roster.

Hayes and Steer aren't stars, but they are proven big leaguers, and Hayes rare ability to play defense makes him hard to adequately value. Tossing one aside isn't exactly easy, nor is it prudent, given neither Stewart nor Collier has proven anything yet.

The most likely scenario is that one of these prospects must go, either in a deal for a big league part or for another youngster who is better in balance with the eventual needs of the big club. That will be a tough choice, and it could be years before the Reds ever learn if they made the right call.