Reds Beat: Sal Stewart Is Finally Promoted ‘Probably Best Day of My Life’

CINCINNATI — The day many Reds fans have been clamoring for is finally here. Sal Stewart has been promoted to the Reds roster as part of the two September call-ups permitted by Major League Baseball.

It couldn’t have ended any better, with the Reds rallying for three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays, keeping a pulse in the race for the third and final wild card spot in the National League.

Stewart certainly made a quick impression, singling to left on a 3-1 pitch in the second inning and scoring from first on a Ke’Bryan Hayes double to left to put the Reds up, 2-0. He swung his arms up emotionally to the crowd after sliding across home with the second run.

“I mean, I don’t think I could say what I was kind of yelling, but I was just fired up, fired up for the guys,” Stewart said. “I want to let them know, like I’m here for for them, like I’m here for them. I want to play the to win all the time, and I was in the heat of the moment. I mean, first knock, ball in the gap, I got to go score. So it was just a bunch of emotions. But that’s who I am.”

He finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and a strikeout and made two putouts at first base.

“Happy that we got to win,” Stewart said. “But yeah, that was one of the that was probably the best day of my life, not gonna lie, that was incredible. That was really awesome.”

Stewart was taken in the first round – 32nd overall – as a compensation pick in 2022 for Nick Castellanos signing in Philadelphia. The 21-year-old has definitely done everything in his power to earn the promotion before his contract was selected Monday and added to the MLB 28-man expanded roster.

Across 118 games with AA-Chattanooga and AAA-Louisville this season, slashed .309/.383/.524 (135-for-437) with 20 homers, 34 doubles, 78 runs, and 80 RBI.

During his 38-game stint with Louisville (7/18-8/30), led the International League in doubles (15), while also ranking in XBH (25, 2nd), total bases (90, 2nd), RBI (36, T2nd), hits (45, T2nd), SLG (.629, 4th), HR (10, 5th), and OPS (1.023, 7th).

Is currently rated by both MLB.com (31) and Baseball America (86) as a top-100 prospect in baseball…also ranked by both outlets as one of the top prospects in the Reds organization (#1 by MLB.com, #4 by Baseball America).

Represented the Reds organization in the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park, along with C Alfredo Duno (Daytona)…honored as a Midwest League AllStar in 2024 and a Florida State League All-Star in 2023.

Named Southern League Player of the Week for the 5/19-5/25…recognized as the Reds’ Minor League Player of the Month for May…selected by Cincinnati as a compensation pick in the 1st round (32nd overall) of the 2022 first-year player draft for the loss of Nick Castellanos.

So, all those fans who were calling for Stewart’s callup before Monday’s roster expansion finally had their moment. Unfortunately for them, the callup on Monday means he won’t be available for the postseason should the Reds rally for a wild card spot. Still, Stewart was in awe of the fans’ support and their wanting to see him up in the Majors.

“It means everything. It gives me chills,” Stewart said. “I mean that all the fans feel like I can go help the team win. I mean it means everything to me. When they drafted me in ’22 they took a chance on me, and when everyone didn’t think that they should, and then when I started moving up the ranks, (media) felt like I still wasn’t good enough. and for the fact that the fans feel that that strong about me and who I am as a player, I mean, it means everything to me that the the fan base here is second to none.”

Stewart was with his family in Louisville on Sunday when he found out that he was going to be promoted to Cincinnati on Monday.

“There were a lot of tears, a lot of excitement, my parents were able to be there,” Stewart said. “So that was a great moment, but it quickly shifted to what I got to do next and what I have to do to be ready to play out today. So super excited. Probably in the off season, we’ll look at it more and enjoy it, but right now, we got a goal in mind, and I’m trying to help the team win, so my focus quickly shifted.”

There were more tears when Stewart singled in the second inning Monday for his first big league hit in his first plate appearance.

Stewart’s dad teared up when his son reached first base Monday.

“It’s everything to me, honestly, like we’ve been working so hard for this moment,” Stewart said of the family investment. “I can’t believe it came and they invested so much time and effort, and forget about the money, just like time and effort, and going to pick me up from school and take me to practice and going home and making me food and going back. I mean that moment’s for them, that that moment’s not for me.”