Slugging Reds first baseman Sal Stewart takes NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year

The Baseball Writers Association of America announced Monday evening that Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart has won the National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award, according to MLB Trade Rumors and the BBWAA. Stewart received 20 of 30 first-place votes and was the only player in the NL field to land in the top five on every ballot. He beat out New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge and St. Louis Cardinals middle infielder JJ Wetherholt for the honors. Benge received seven first-place votes and was on all but two ballots overall, leading to the runner-up finish. Wetherholt, who finished in third, received the three other first-place votes.

Stewart debuted last September but remained rookie eligible going into 2026. He was Cincinnati's Opening Day first baseman. Stewart started 110 games there, 33 at third base, 11 as a designated hitter, and seven at second base. He led NL rookies with 700 plate appearances and hit .263/.330/.457 with 32 home runs, 12 more than any other rookie in the league. Stewart drove in 112 runs, nearly 40 RBI clear of any other first-year player. Only Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson kept Stewart from leading all NL hitters in that category, while he finished eighth in the league in home runs.

The volume and Stewart's gaudy counting stats probably would have made this a runaway in previous eras of baseball. It was more of a borderline case in today's game, as park adjustments for Cincinnati's hitter-friendly stadium and Stewart's lack of defensive value weighed him down in the eyes of WAR models. Both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference graded Stewart at two wins above replacement, about half the WAR totals for Benge and Wetherholt. The majority of voters placed a premium on Stewart's power production in the middle of Terry Francona's lineup, keeping him at the top of their ballots.

Wetherholt and Benge were Gold Glove finalists at second base and in right field, respectively. Wetherholt seemed to be Stewart's top competition for the bulk of the season, but his bat wilted in the second half around a two-week absence due to right wrist tendinitis. Benge, who was one of the best hitters in the NL after the All-Star Break, ended up being Stewart's biggest challenger behind a 20-20 season with a .282/.346/.430 showing.

All three finalists met the criteria for the Prospect Promotion Incentive and opened the year on their respective teams' MLB rosters. That meant whoever won the award was guaranteed to net their team a PPI pick. Stewart's win secures that pick for Cincinnati — one of three that'll be awarded next year. Kevin McGonigle earned one for Detroit by winning the AL Rookie of the Year, while Parker Messick secured one for Cleveland with a top three finish in AL Cy Young voting.

Stewart is the Reds' second Rookie of the Year winner this decade and the ninth honoree in club history. Frank Robinson (1956), Pete Rose (1963), Tommy Helms (1966), Johnny Bench (1968), Pat Zachry (1976), Chris Sabo (1988), Scott Williamson (1999) and Jonathan India (2021) are the franchise's previous winners. They're tied with the Athletics for fourth-most ROY winners overall, trailing only the Dodgers, Yankees and Braves.