Sal Stewart has quickly become a fan-favorite and the Reds front office must act fast

When the Cincinnati Reds finally called up Sal Stewart, the fanbase was buzzing with excitement and anticipation. And for good reason. In his very first major league game, Stewart wasted no time making an impression, collecting his first big-league hit while going 1-for-3 at the plate. Not too shabby for a 21-year-old who was the Reds’ first-round pick back in 2022.

The Reds aren’t exactly known for throwing around money to keep their stars. Time and again, Cincinnati has watched homegrown talent rise, shine, and eventually price themselves out of town.

But with a farm system that keeps churning out impact players and a young roster already forming the foundation of a contender, Stewart represents the perfect opportunity to break that cycle. This is the kind of player you extend early, before the market gets out of control.

The Reds should act fast and sign Sal Stewart to a long-term deal

The blueprint is already well established across baseball. Teams are locking up their future stars during their pre-arbitration years, buying out the risk of arbitration battles and multiple free-agent seasons while keeping costs manageable. It’s a win-win: players secure life-changing money and the stability to focus solely on their craft, while teams avoid the inevitable “will they stay or will they go” saga that derails fanbases and rosters alike.

And Stewart is exactly the kind of player who fits that mold. He’s mashed at every level of the minors, showing the offensive upside and poise that makes evaluators confident he can stick as a middle-of-the-order bat for years to come. He’s also just the type of homegrown cornerstone that Cincinnati fans rally behind — young, exciting, and committed to the grind.

If the Reds don’t act now, they risk repeating history. Elly De La Cruz, a generational talent, has already skyrocketed into a stratosphere that could make him financially unreachable for a small-market club like Cincinnati. That’s the nightmare scenario with Stewart: wait too long, let him prove too much, and suddenly the cost of keeping him around becomes a problem instead of a solution.

The current extension market gives the Reds a clear window. Stewart’s potential price point could fall somewhere between Lawrence Butler’s seven-year deal averaging $9.3 million annually on the low end and Roman Anthony’s eight-year deal averaging $16.2 million annually on the high end. The Reds don’t need to spend at Anthony’s level, but if they act now, they could secure Stewart on a contract that provides long-term value while keeping him in Cincinnati through his prime.

Every so often, a player comes along who instantly clicks with the fans and has the talent to change a franchise’s trajectory. Stewart feels like one of those players. If the Reds are serious about building sustainable success, they can’t afford to hesitate. Lock him up, build around him, and finally flip the script that has haunted Cincinnati baseball for too long.

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