Reds rookie history completely justifies Sal Stewart’s contract timeline

A number of small-to-mid market franchises including the Athletics, Detroit Tigers, and Pittsburgh Pirates made it a point to sign some of their top young talent to long-term extensions earlier this year. Meanwhile, Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart has yet to sign an extension, and the organization doesn't seem interested in offering the rookie a long-term deal at this time.

“He could be in consideration. He’s been really good for us, but we have not had that discussion with him yet," Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall recently told MLB.com writer Mark Sheldon.

For his part, Stewart sounds like he'd welcome the conversation. "I was open to it,” Stewart told Sheldon. "The Reds don’t feel like right now is the right time, which is 100 percent fine. I still have to prove to myself and prove to the league what I can do."

There's certainly a contingent of Reds' fans who would love to see Stewart sign a seven or eight-year contract extension right now. Cincinnati's front office has likely missed their window to keep Elly De La Cruz around past his arbitration window, and if Stewart is able to build off his success during the first two months of the 2026 season, that long-term contract he's seeking is only going to get more expensive.

But what if Stewart fails to live up to the hype? At the moment, that notion might seem rather misguided. The Reds' rookie is off to a rip-roaring start, hitting .258/.351/.467 with 12 home runs, 37 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and a 123 wRC+.

But the Cincinnati faithful needn't look too far back into the past to see another young player (or two) who posted tremendous numbers as a rookie only to fall short of expectations as their Reds' career moved forward. Both Jonathan India and Matt McLain represent shining examples of why patience might be the best approach when it comes to a extension talks with Stewart.

Jonathan India & Matt McLain gives Reds cause to pause on extension talks

Reds fans will remember Jonathan India's first season in Cincinnati. The mane was flowing and so were the base hits. India posted a .269/.376/.459 slash line with 21 home runs, 69 RBI, 12 stolen bases, and a 122 wRC+ during his first big league season back in 2021.

But India's next three years saw him hit just .247/.343/.393 with 42 homers, 160 RBI, and a 102 wRC+. His defense at second base was also among the worst in the league, and Reds traded India to the Kansas City Royals after the close of the 2024 season.

McLain is the latest example of a Reds' rookie who took off during Year 1, but came crashing back to the earth after a red-hot start to his MLB career. In 2023, McLain hit .290/.357/.507 with 16 round trippers and 50 RBI in just 89 games. He stole 14 bags and posted a 129 wRC+ while looking like a franchise cornerstone for the next decade.

But McLain suffered a shoulder injury in 2024, and has been trying to rediscover his swing ever since. Over the past two seasons, he's hitting a combined .213/.299/.337 and looks like a shell of the player he was just three years ago.

None of this is to suggest that Stewart will experience the same fate. But given those two examples, it's easy to see why the Reds might be somewhat cautious when it comes to the idea of dedicating $100-plus million to one player based on fewer than 100 games played at the big league level.

Stewart isn't going anywhere at the moment. The Reds have him under team control through the 2031 season, and with a new collective bargaining agreement on the horizon, Cincinnati (and other small-market clubs) might be incentivized to spend more money in the future.

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