Sal Stewart -- Prospect Evaluation

Sal Stewart, the Cincinnati Reds' #2 prospect, represents a significant success story after overcoming a 2024 season-ending injury. After beginning 2025 at Double-A Chattanooga with a strong start (.393 BA in first seven games), Stewart experienced some early inconsistency before finding his rhythm in mid-May. From June 1 through the end of his Chattanooga tenure, he compiled a .305/.402/.558 slash line, earned a Futures Game selection, and won the Southern League MVP Award while leading the league in batting average.

Following his promotion to Triple-A Louisville, Stewart's first week was slow (5-28 in seven games), but an explosive performance in his eighth game (4-4 with two home runs) sparked a dominant stretch. Over 31 subsequent games through August, he hit .348/.438/.713 with 24 extra-base hits and just 22 strikeouts against 19 walks, demonstrating both power and plate discipline. Cincinnati promoted him to the major league roster on September 1st, 2025.

Stewart's MLB debut resulted in a hit and run scored against Toronto. Over 18 regular season games, he posted a .255/.293/.545 line, showcasing significant power while struggling with on-base percentage. He also appeared in the playoffs, recording a walk, an RBI, and going 2-4 with three runs in two appearances.

Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds organization is featured in MLB.com's prospect evaluation segment as the #22 ranked prospect on the 2026 MLB Top 100 Prospects list. The panel discussion provides analysis of Stewart's skills, potential, and trajectory within the Reds' farm system. As a top-25 prospect, Stewart represents one of baseball's most promising young talents in development. The evaluation segment, aired on MLB Network, offers expert commentary on what makes Stewart a significant prospect in the minor league pipeline. This ranking reflects Stewart's standing among the most valuable prospects eligible for the 2026 prospect rankings based on age, experience, and performance metrics.

Sal Stewart is a 21-year-old infielder prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, currently playing at the A+ level. Drafted 2nd overall in the first compensatory round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Stewart signed for $2,097,500. He was a standout from Westminster Christian School and is considered the 11th-ranked prospect within the Reds system.

Stewart possesses significant raw power (45-50 grade) but has lower hit tool and game power grades (35/45 and 20/40 respectively), along with average speed and fielding ability. His estimated time of arrival (ETA) is 2028, with a Future Value projection of 40+. Recent reporting indicates he recovered from a wrist injury and participated in major-league camp during the 2025 spring training. Stewart becomes Rule 5 eligible in December 2026.

Sal Maxwell Stewart is a highly-regarded prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, ranked as their #1 prospect in 2026 and #23 overall by Baseball America in the same year. Drafted 32nd overall in 2022 out of Westminster Christian high school, Stewart signed for $2,097,500. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-handed batter has impressed scouts with elite bat-to-ball skills paired with significant raw power that projects to all fields. He demonstrates excellent plate discipline and zone control.

Stewart's spring performance highlighted his offensive potential, batting .506 with 9 home runs, 13 doubles, 30 walks, and just 6 strikeouts. Recent season statistics show a .625 average with a 1.250 slugging percentage across limited at-bats. Scouts particularly noted his ability to track and damage breaking pitches, a rare skill among young hitters.

Defensively, Stewart plays third base with solid hands, instincts, and arm strength, but his below-average speed and footwork present challenges for maintaining the position long-term. He may eventually transition to first base, where his bat and power would still profile as legitimate major league assets. His development path includes assignments through the Reds' minor league system, including stops at the Dayton Dragons, Daytona Tortugas, Chattanooga Lookouts, and Louisville Bats, with recent promotions suggesting upward trajectory in the organization.

Sal Stewart, the Cincinnati Reds' top-ranked prospect, has emerged as one of baseball's best pure hitters in 2025 with notable power improvements. However, his future position in the majors will likely be first base rather than third base due to significant arm strength deficiencies. After his September call-up, Stewart split time between both positions and appeared in the Reds' Wild Card games, where his throwing limitations became evident.

Statcast data reveals the scope of the issue: Stewart averaged just 70 mph on competitive throws, compared to the 85 mph big league third base average. His hardest successful throw from third base was 77.3 mph, and only six of his 34 tracked throws reached 75 mph or higher. A specific example occurred in Game 1 against the Dodgers when Stewart's 76.7 mph throw on a Miguel Rojas grounder fell significantly short of the required 160 feet, a play that elite third basemen like Matt Chapman routinely execute.

Historically, only Andy Ibanez of the Tigers among qualifying MLB third basemen has averaged under 79 mph on throws, and he remains the only third baseman who failed to top 80 mph. The last comparison points are Evan Longoria and Kyle Seager at the very end of their careers. The Reds already have Ke'Bryan Hayes as an excellent defensive third base option, making first base the natural position for Stewart unless he achieves substantial arm strength improvements.