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Sal Stewart
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55
The first two picks the Reds made in the 2022 Draft were high-school-aged third basemen. Cam Collier, who had reclassified and went to junior college, went No. 18 overall. Stewart came 14 picks later, the pick the Reds got for Nick Castellanos signing with the Phillies. Stewart’s feel for hitting was apparent throughout his first full season as he earned a promotion from Single-A Daytona to High-A Dayton to finish the season.
A baseball rat, Stewart loves to work on his game, and he’s already showing he can really hit. He has impressive bat-to-ball skills and a very advanced approach, walking more than he struck out in 2023. It’s loud contact with high exit velocities and he started to tap into his raw power. More of that is likely to come as he progresses, with confidence he’s never going to need to sell out or sacrifice his approach for power.
Stewart played basketball in high school, and the Reds have been pleasantly surprised with his overall athleticism and footwork. He does have below-average speed but has made efforts to rework his body. He split time with Collier at third base with Daytona but also got some time at second, something the Reds plan on continuing to keep him as athletic as possible. His bat will carry him to the big leagues, and he could really take off in 2024. - mlbpipeline
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