Sal Stewart, a former Daytona Tortugas infielder and lifelong Florida resident, played his first Major League Baseball game for the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. He began his MLB career with a bang, picking up a base hit into left-center field with a runner on second base.
“Honestly, I was just trying to compose myself, relax and be like, ‘It’s the same box, it’s the same game’,” Stewart said in a post-game interview. “Just compose myself, get back into it and go compete […] I want to play to win all the time. I was in the heat of the moment. First at-bat, first knock, ball in the game, I got to go score. So it was just a bunch of emotions. That’s who I am.”
The 21-year-old was born in Miami and attended Westminster Christian School in Palmetto Bay. He put up a blistering .514 batting average as a senior in 2022, leading to him being drafted by the Reds with the 32nd overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft.
After playing just eight games in the Arizona Complex League that year, Stewart was assigned to begin the 2023 Minor League Baseball season with the Daytona Tortugas. There he continued to put up solid numbers, batting .269 with 10 home runs in 88 games. Later that season he was called up to the Dayton Dragons of minor league baseball’s A+ level. For context, the Tortugas are A (referred to as Single-A or Low-A), the first rung on the ladder to the MLB.
From 2024 to 2025 Stewart marched steadily up the levels of minor league ball, continuing to adjust swiftly to the enhanced competition levels. Finally, after 38 games with the Louisville Bats just one step below the big leagues, the Reds called him up to the majors on Monday.
Stewart went 1-3 and scored a run in his first major league game, impressing teammates and team leadership alike. “I’m really happy for him,” said teammate Noelvi Marte via a translator, according to MLB.com. “It was a great beginning for him. When you see him, he has a lot of confidence. He looked like he can bring a lot of energy to us. I don’t see any doubt that he can be successful.”
“I would be [excited] too, if I swing the bat like that,” added Reds Manager Terry Francona, a two-time World Series champion and three-time AL Manager of the Year. “I think Sal’s going to be good for us. I really do.”
