Sal Stewart captured the 2026 NL Rookie of the Year market at 98.8% after a historic power display for the Cincinnati Reds, batting .263 with a .787 OPS, 32 home runs, and 112 RBIs across all 162 games while leading NL rookies in those categories plus extra-base hits and total bases. He became the first Reds rookie to reach the 30-homer, 100-RBI plateau and earned prior recognition via the Sporting News and Players Choice Awards. Finalists Carson Benge and JJ Wetherholt posted stronger on-base and defensive contributions, with Benge at .282/.346/.430 and 20 homers plus 22 steals, and Wetherholt leading rookie position players in WAR through elite glovework at second base. The BBWAA vote, scheduled for November 9, could shift if voters weigh advanced metrics or well-rounded play more heavily than traditional counting stats, though precedent favors Stewart’s production edge.