LAS VEGAS — Sal Stewart had no sooner accepted the National League Rookie of the Year award than he embarked on the task of getting the Cincinnati Reds back to the playoffs next year.
Well, he planned to embark on that once the party in Miami with dozens of friends and family concludes at some point this week.
“Just a kid from Miami living his dream!” he said at the end of a video conference with Cincinnati media after becoming the ninth player in franchise history to win the award.
“You might wake up at 8. a.m., and I’m still gonna be out partying. I’ll be enjoying it.”
No matter how long that party might last, no matter how long a labor lockout might last once MLB’s labor agreement expires Dec. 1, Stewart has already fixed his sights firmly on 2027 and helping lead the Reds from last place back to the postseason he experienced a month into his big-league career in 2025.
“My career is just getting started. I promise you that,” he said. “I promise you this is just a steppingstone, and there’s more to come.
“This season didn’t go the way we wanted,” he added, “but I feel like if I want to be the player that I want to be for this organization, (this award) is a good steppingstone to show everybody (coming up), ‘Hey, I’m willing to do it. Everyone that comes up here better be willing to do it, to put your life on the line for your team.’
“I feel that will go a long way, and I feel our season will turn out better next year.”
Stewart, 22, hit 32 home runs and drove in 112 runs in 2026, earning an All-Star selection and the Reds’ first Rookie of the Year award since Jonathan India in 2021 – winning 20 of 30 first-place votes and beating second-place Carson Benge (seven first-place votes) of the Mets 170 points to 107. JJ Wetherholt (three) of the Cardinals was third with 99 points.
The award was a goal Stewart set for himself long before getting to spring training, even with a loaded field of impact rookies who figured to be in play across the league.
Why that goal?
“Because so many people doubted me. So many people didn’t think I could,” he said. “I love that. My whole life I’ve been doubted. Even when I got drafted, I had people on MLB Network saying I was a bad decision. ‘He didn’t have a hit ability.’ ‘His power needed to come.’ ‘His defense was bad.’
“I don’t forget those things,” he said. “I keep all the receipts for all the people that talk. I just wanted to prove those people wrong.”
The ultra competitive Stewart played all season with a level of confidence and apparent chip on his shoulder that belied his age and experience level. It especially showed up in high-leverage moments, with men in scoring position and in close-and-late game situations.
It’s what led to RBI totals that led the league much of the season before Stewart eventually finished four behind the MLB leader.
Beyond the significance of being one of just seven players to play all 162 games this season, he preaches the value of an RBI stat that has fallen out of favor in this era of advanced stats and analytics – an appreciation instilled by his baseball mentors growing up and that boils down to situational hitting to try to win games.
“Whether it’s a ground ball to shortstop with the infield back or whether it’s a sac fly,” he said. “You can’t win a game if you don’t drive in runs at the end of the day.”
The Reds didn’t have enough runs or enough wins regardless in this case. Which already seems to be Stewart’s focus with the prestigious award in his back pocket.
He says he wants to get with team officials to find out what their plan is for him positionally next year – back to his original third base or staying primarily at first – then working this winter on getting better there.
And performing again, and helping lead others, to get back to the playoffs.
“I really want to win for this city,” he said. “This award’s great, but at the end of the day I don’t like sitting down and watching the playoffs. I want to be playing in them. And that’s something I’ve got to figure out a way to help my team do that.
“I know what we’re capable of,” he added. “We have the right guy at the helm (in manager Terry Francona). Tito knows what the expectation is. And he’s the first one to make sure I’m living up to it, and if I’m not he’s the first one calling me into his office making sure I’m living up to it. We know what it takes. We know what the expectation is. Losing’s not fun, man. We do this to win.”
Stewart is the fifth player in franchise history to earn All-Star selection and the Rookie of the Year award in the same season. The Reds’ eight other Rookie of the Year winners (*-indicates All-Star):
- 2B Jonathan India, 2021
- RP Scott Williamson, 1999*
- 3B Chris Sabo, 1988*
- SP Pat Zachry, 1976
- C Johnny Bench, 1968*
- 3B Tommy Helms, 1966
- 2B Pete Rose, 1963
- OF Frank Robinson, 1956*
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds’ Sal Stewart ‘just getting started’ with NL Rookie of Year award