Sal Stewart

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #7 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.
  
  Track Record: A fiery competitor who is a spark plug for whichever team he’s on, Stewart was one of High-A Dayton’s best players in the first half of 2024. He injured his wrist in an off-field accident in mid July. He was working back from that injury at the Reds’ Arizona complex when he injured his wrist further and had surgery. He’s friends and a workout partner with Padres third baseman Manny Machado.
  
  Scouting Report: Stewart is a more advanced hitter than most 20-year-olds. His 19% miss rate is among the best in the Reds’ organization, and he has walked almost as much as he has struck out in pro ball. He is a patient hitter who knows the strike zone, though he can be attacked with elevated fastballs. Stewart does an excellent job with breaking balls and isn’t fooled by changeups. He especially feasts on lefthanders. He hit .317/.512/.617 against lefties in 2024 with a 26.7% walk rate and just a 10% strikeout rate. Stewart hits more line drives than long fly balls, but he has enough power to develop into a 20-home run slugger. The Reds had Stewart work at second base to increase his defensive versatility and help get him and third baseman Cam Collier on the field at the same time. With current restrictions on shifting, his below-average range is noticeable. Third base will require a lot of work as well. He’s better there than Collier, with adequate hands and feet and fringe-average range to go with an above-average arm, but his body control and first step limit him. He’s a below-average runner.
  
  The Future: Stewart was swinging a bat again by October and should be fully ready for spring training. Much like Collier, his ultimate position is an open question. His most likely everyday position in the big leagues is first base, with a fallback option as a multi-position corner infielder.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 40 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #7 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Stewart is an alum of the same Westminster Christian School program that produced 1993 No. 1 overall pick Alex Rodriguez as well as long-time big leaguers J.P. Arencibia and Doug Mientkiewicz. Stewart stood out in high school for his ability to make hard contact without swinging and missing. As a senior, he hit .514 with more home runs (nine) than strikeouts (six). After sharing time with Cam Collier at third base at Low-A Daytona, Stewart earned a promotion to High-A Dayton in early August. In his final 50 Florida State League games before his promotion, Stewart hit .307/.421/.542 with nine home runs and more walks (35) than strikeouts (34).
  
  Scouting Report: Stewart is a baseball rat with a savvy understanding of the game. He is a pure hitter but one who is big enough and strong enough to get to average power, especially in the friendly environs of Great American Ball Park. He has an up-the-middle hitting approach, and 10 of his 12 home runs were hit to center field or the power alleys. He’s more adept than most teenagers at recognizing and hitting breaking pitches. The pleasant surprise for the Reds was Stewart’s athleticism. In high school, the general belief was Stewart’s body was headed in the wrong direction and that first base would be his ultimate position. He’s worked on his conditioning, and he showed average body control, feet and hands at third base, though he has a tendency to lay back on grounders he should attack. His arm is average.
  
  The Future: Stewart’s bat has largely been as advertised. He’s a polished hitter who strings together professional at-bats. His fielding has proven better than expected, which gives him at least a shot to stick at third base. Both Stewart and Collier picked up the pace offensively once they didn’t have to share third base, but that job-share could return at High-A Dayton in 2024.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #8 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: A couple of years ago, the Reds went all-in on high school hitters with big power. In back-to-back drafts, the Reds selected Rece Hinds and Austin Hendrick. Both have massive power, but both have struck out more than 35% of the time so far, leaving in doubt their ability to get to that power. This year, the Reds seemed to course-correct by going all-in on young hitters with advanced hit tools in the first round. They started with 17-year-old junior college third baseman Cam Collier at No. 18 overall, followed by Stewart, a polished high school hitter with below-average defense and speed at No. 32. After signing for $2.1 million, Stewart showed his polished bat in an eight-game debut in the Arizona Complex League.
  
  Scouting Report: Stewart hits both velocity and spin. Perhaps as importantly, he spits on pitches outside the zone while punishing hittable pitches in the zone. Amateur scouts loved his ability to consistently make loud contact. Stewart should hit for plus power and should be an above-average hitter as well. If he develops as expected, he could be a power hitter who avoids piling up strikeouts. Defensively, there are a lot more questions. Stewart made two throwing errors in just six games at third with the ACL Reds, but his range is the bigger long-term concern. He's a well-below average runner who will have to work to avoid slowing down even further. He has an above-average arm.
  
  The Future: Stewart and Collier should both be ready for Low-A Daytona in 2023, which means they'll likely split time at third base. Collier is the better defender, so Stewart could end up getting experience at first base as well, which is his most likely long-term role. If his bat is as good as expected, he'll profile fine at first base.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 60. Run: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #58 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Westminster Christian HS, Miami Committed/Drafted: Vanderbilt
  Age At Draft: 18.6
  BA Grade: 55/Extreme
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55
  Stewart made a case as one of the premium bats of the 2022 high school group, with an impressive track record of performance and big-time raw power out of a large, 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame. Stewart pairs power with impressive bat-to-ball ability and scouts were particularly impressed with how he tracked and did damage against breaking stuff. He controls the zone at an impressive rate and should have power that plays to all fields. This spring in South Florida, Stewart hit .506 with nine home runs and 13 doubles, while walking 30 times and striking out just six times. While Stewart’s frame and strength afford him plenty of power, he’ll need to maintain his body moving forward to stick at third base. He has solid hands, instincts and arm strength for the position, but he’s a well below-average runner who will need to improve his footwork and get as much lateral mobility as he can to stick at the hot corner. He could easily wind up moving to first base, where he should have the bat and power to still profile nicely. Stewart is committed to Vanderbilt but is viewed as a top-three round talent.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: A couple of years ago, the Reds went all-in on high school hitters with big power. In back-to-back drafts, the Reds selected Rece Hinds and Austin Hendrick. Both have massive power, but both have struck out more than 35% of the time so far, leaving in doubt their ability to get to that power. This year, the Reds seemed to course-correct by going all-in on young hitters with advanced hit tools in the first round. They started with 17-year-old junior college third baseman Cam Collier at No. 18 overall, followed by Stewart, a polished high school hitter with below-average defense and speed at No. 32. After signing for $2.1 million, Stewart showed his polished bat in an eight-game debut in the Arizona Complex League.
  
  Scouting Report: Stewart hits both velocity and spin. Perhaps as importantly, he spits on pitches outside the zone while punishing hittable pitches in the zone. Amateur scouts loved his ability to consistently make loud contact. Stewart should hit for plus power and should be an above-average hitter as well. If he develops as expected, he could be a power hitter who avoids piling up strikeouts. Defensively, there are a lot more questions. Stewart made two throwing errors in just six games at third with the ACL Reds, but his range is the bigger long-term concern. He's a well-below average runner who will have to work to avoid slowing down even further. He has an above-average arm.
  
  The Future: Stewart and Collier should both be ready for Low-A Daytona in 2023, which means they'll likely split time at third base. Collier is the better defender, so Stewart could end up getting experience at first base as well, which is his most likely long-term role. If his bat is as good as expected, he'll profile fine at first base.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 60. Run: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: A couple of years ago, the Reds went all-in on high school hitters with big power. In back-to-back drafts, the Reds selected Rece Hinds and Austin Hendrick. Both have massive power, but both have struck out more than 35% of the time so far, leaving in doubt their ability to get to that power. This year, the Reds seemed to course-correct by going all-in on young hitters with advanced hit tools in the first round. They started with 17-year-old junior college third baseman Cam Collier at No. 18 overall, followed by Stewart, a polished high school hitter with below-average defense and speed at No. 32. After signing for $2.1 million, Stewart showed his polished bat in an eight-game debut in the Arizona Complex League.
  
  Scouting Report: Stewart hits both velocity and spin. Perhaps as importantly, he spits on pitches outside the zone while punishing hittable pitches in the zone. Amateur scouts loved his ability to consistently make loud contact. Stewart should hit for plus power and should be an above-average hitter as well. If he develops as expected, he could be a power hitter who avoids piling up strikeouts. Defensively, there are a lot more questions. Stewart made two throwing errors in just six games at third with the ACL Reds, but his range is the bigger long-term concern. He's a well-below average runner who will have to work to avoid slowing down even further. He has an above-average arm.
  
  The Future: Stewart and Collier should both be ready for Low-A Daytona in 2023, which means they'll likely split time at third base. Collier is the better defender, so Stewart could end up getting experience at first base as well, which is his most likely long-term role. If his bat is as good as expected, he'll profile fine at first base.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 60. Run: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/Extreme
  
  August Update: Stewart made a case as one of the premium bats of the 2022 high school group, with an impressive track record of performance and big-time raw power out of a large, 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame. Stewart pairs power with impressive bat-to-ball ability and scouts were particularly impressed with how he tracked and did damage against breaking stuff. He controls the zone at an impressive rate and should have power that plays to all fields. This spring in South Florida, Stewart hit .506 with nine home runs and 13 doubles, while walking 30 times and striking out just six times. While Stewart&#39s frame and strength afford him plenty of power, he&#39ll need to maintain his body moving forward to stick at third base. He has solid hands, instincts and arm strength for the position, but he&#39s a well below-average runner who will need to improve his footwork and get as much lateral mobility as he can to stick at the hot corner. He could easily wind up moving to first base, where he should have the bat and power to still profile nicely.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power 60. Run: 30. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.