Sal Stewart, who was the National League Rookie of the Month for April/March has won the prize again for August and is en route to a possible Rookie of the Year for this season. This makes him the first Reds rookie to win the award in two months.
In August the Cuban-American slugger hit .304/.349/.530 with 8 homers and 21 of his MLB-best 105 RBI. Stewart also leads all rookies with 31 homeruns is eight stolen bases short of a 20-20 season. With JJ Weatherholt’s injury and dismal month at the plate (.200/. the Rookie of the Year is all but in the bag for the native of Miami.
If he wins the RBI title he will join Ted Williams (1939) and Walt Dropo (1950) as the only rookies in MLB history to win such crown. Stewart is the only rookie in Reds’ history to have a 30+ homer, 100+ RBI season and only the second to hit 30 or more homers in a season, joining Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (38 in 1956). His 105 RBIs are also the most the most by a rookie in franchise history passing Jim Greengrass.
The last nine rookies to hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs since the Rookie of the Year Award began in 1947 — Dropo (1950), Ron Kittle (1983), Jose Canseco (1986), Mark McGwire (1987), Mike Piazza (1993), Albert Pujols (2001), José Abreu (2014), Aaron Judge (2017) and Pete Alonso (2019), all have won the Rookie of the Year.
Players of Cuban heritage that have won the Rookie of the Year:
1964 : Tony Oliva (Minnesota Twins)
1986: José Canseco (Oakland Athletics)
2013: José Fernández (Miami Marlins)
2014: José Abreu (Chicago White Sox)
2019: Yordan Álvarez (Houston Astros)
2021: Randy Arozarena (Tampa Bay Rays)