The good news is that thanks to new rules in the game meant to disincentivize service-time manipulation the Reds get an additional draft pick between the first and second rounds.
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The not-so-good news: The price just went up on the inevitable extension talks with the hard-hitting, 22-year-old All-Star.
Four months after the Reds inked Stewart’s pal, Reds ace Chase Burns, to a $105 million, seven-year extension, the Reds and Stewart still had not engaged in talks about an extension for the 32-homer rookie slugger, sources said.
And the meter continues to run after Stewart became the franchise’s ninth player to win the National League Rookie of the Year award, with Stewart also a finalist for a prestigious Silver Slugger award. Those winners are announced next week.
Sal Stewart #27 of the Cincinnati Reds before the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia.
The tangible upside for the team — beyond possibly earning a few more ticket sales in marketing the “award-winning” Sal — is the Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick that figures to be a top-40 overall pick between their first- and second-round picks.
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That’s because of a 2022 rule that rewards teams for promoting prospects closer to the beginning of a season rather than wait long enough with their better prospects to assure an additional year of club control before free agency.
That delay of less than two weeks led to players such as Kris Bryant and Maikel Franco to file union grievances a decade ago against their teams for service-time manipulation that delayed their free agency. Bryant won a Rookie of the Year award in 2015 after being kept in the minors the first eight games of that season, which meant an additional six years before he was eligible for free agency.
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Frank Robinson was the first Cincinnati Reds player to win the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1956.
(The Enquirer/Herb Heise)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Frank Robinson was the first Cincinnati Reds player to win the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1956.
(The Enquirer/Herb Heise)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Frank Robinson hit .290 with 38 home runs, 83 RBI and a league-leading 122 runs as a rookie.
(The Enquirer/Allan Kain)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Pete Rose was named Rookie of the Year in 1963.
(The Enquirer/Herb Heise)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Pete Rose hit .273 and scored 101 runs as a rookie.
(Malcolm Emmons-US PRESSWIRE, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Tommy Helms was named Rookie of the Year in 1966.
(The Enquirer/Bob Free)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Tommy Helms hit .284 with nine homers as a rookie.
(Malcolm Emmons, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
7 / 16
Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Johnny Bench was named Rooke of the Year in 1968.
(Malcolm Emmons-US PRESSWIRE, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Johnny Bench hit .275 with 15 home runs and 82 RBI and won a Gold Glove award as a rookie.
(Malcolm Emmons, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Pat Zachry was named Rookie of the Year in 1976.
(The Enquirer/Dick Swaim)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Pat Zachry went 14-7 with a 2.74 ERA and pitched six complete games as a rookie.
(The Enquirer/Fred Straub)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Chris Sabo was named Rookie of the Year in 1988.
(The Enquirer/Jim Callaway)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Chris Sabo hit .271 with 40 doubles and stole 46 bases as a rookie.
(The Enquirer/Michael E. Keating)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Scot Williamson was named Rookie of the Year in 1999.
(The Enquirer/Craig Ruttle)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Scott Williamson went 12-7 with 19 saves and a 2.41 ERA while striking out 107 batters in 93 1/3 innings as a rookie.
(The Enquirer/Craig Ruttle)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Jonathan India was named Rookie of the Year in 2021.
(The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar)
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Reds Rookie of the Year winners | From Frank Robinson to Jonathan India
Jonathan India hit .269 34 doubles, 21 home runs and 69 RBI as a rookie.
(The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar)
How potentially valuable are the additional supplemental picks?
Stewart was selected 32nd overall in 2022 – as an additional compensation pick for the Reds for losing Nick Castellanos as a free agent.
