There was a time and place when swatting 32 homers and driving in 112 runs during one’s rookie year would have made one an absolute lock to take home Rookie of the Year honors. In calendar year 2026, though, there are a whole lot more factors that go into the decision making process among voters to determine which rookies were the most valuable during their respective first full seasons.
Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds put up those marks in a monster campaign this past season, and though he was
named a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year Award last week for his accomplishments there were another pair of finalists that were every bit as deserving in their own ways.
On Sunday night, though, the voting revealed it was Sal who’d taken home the award, besting both JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals and Carson Benge of the New York Mets.
Sal’s counting stats were impossible to ignore for voters despite Wetherholt having put up a 4 WAR season on the back of excellent defense at shortstop and Benge having put together a 4 WAR season of his own on the back of a 20 homer, 20 steal season.
Despite advanced metrics clearly giving the all-around advantage to the non-Red in the equation, Sal actually ran away with the voting with Benge finishing 2nd and Wetherholt a close 3rd.
Stewart’s win earned the Reds a Prospect Promotion Initiative (PPI) pick in next summer’s draft with his win, as well as the overall bonus pool bump that will come with an additional pick at the end of the 1st round. Sal also became the first Red to take home Rookie of the Year honors since Jonathan India back in 2021.
Congrats to Sal on a wonderful RoY campaign.
