Reds prospect's blazing-fast start could force Nick Krall's hand sooner than expected

Nick Krall is going to have a big decision to make in the coming weeks if Sal Stewart continues his scorching-hot start. How much longer will the Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations allow Stewart to remain at Double-A Chattanooga?

General managers can drive themselves crazy trying to figure out the perfect time to elevate top prospects from one level of competition to the next. Doing so too soon could curtail a player's development, while allowing them to face inferior opposition for a prolonged period of time offers little challenge and may cause a player's growth to become stagnant.

There's no secret formula when it comes to how to handle prospects. Some players, like Elly De La Cruz, explode onto the scene and rocket up through the farm system rather quickly. But a player like TJ Friedl spent five-plus seasons in the minors before finally making to The Show. Stewart's start to the 2025 season may cause him to fall into the former category rather than the latter.

Reds prospect Sal Stewart is off to blazing-fast start and could force Nick Krall's hand sooner than expected

Stewart is off to a rip-roaring start with the Chattanooga Lookouts this season. The 21-year-old went 3-for-5 on Wednesday with a pair of doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored. During the first four games of the season, Stewart is hitting .444 with a 1.278 OPS. He has a home run and also four stolen bases.

Stewart's plate discipline is outstanding. Before landing on the injured list midway through the 2024 season, Stewart owned an impressive 14.8% walk rate and a meager 16.9% strikeout rate. After seeing the Reds swing wildly over the first two weeks of the 2025 season, that type of approach would be a welcome change to the Cincinnati lineup.

But fans shouldn't get too excited just yet. After all, it's only four games. However, it's hard to ignore Stewart's career .281/.396/.440 slash line and 15.4% walk rate. Stewart displayed some pop during spring training as well, and his performance during the Cactus League certainly impressed Terry Francona and the Reds coaching staff. Stewart remained in big league camp longer than any other top prospect in the Reds farm system, which many took as a signal that he could be knocking on the major league door rather soon.

De La Cruz received 306 plate appearances in High-A before being promoted to Double-A. The Reds superstar then earned another 190 at-bats in Double-A. But after just 186 plate appearances at Triple-A in 2023, the Reds had enough confidence in De La Cruz to add him to the major league roster. Stewart is now sitting on 876 career plate appearance in the minors, but all have come at Double-A or lower.

If Stewart's red-hot start continues into the month of May, Reds fans may want to keep an eye on their top infield prospect. His journey to Triple-A, and even the major leagues, could be closer than you think. A September call-up could be in Stewart's future.

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