The annual crop of spring/early-season extensions continues to be ongoing, and whereas the Reds and younger slugger Sal Stewart haven’t but had any substantial talks a few deal, Stewart tells Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he’s open to discussing a long-term pact. President of baseball operations Nick Krall voiced mutual curiosity when requested by Wittenmyer, although he gave commonplace caveats about asking worth and discovering a center floor that works for all events. To this level, there haven’t but been substantial talks between the 2 sides.
“I’m definitely open to it,” stated Stewart, noting how nicely the group has handled him up to now in his profession. “…I’m open to it because they took a chance on me when I was young, and I want to do it for this city. This city means a lot to me, and they’ve become my family.”
Since being known as to the majors as a 21-year-old late final season, the now-22-year-old Stewart has accomplished nothing however hit. He’s taken 84 plate appearances, ripped seven homers and 4 doubles, and mashed to an general .311/.393/.649 batting line. He’s walked greater than he’s struck out this season and has an general 11.9% stroll fee to a 21.4% strikeout fee. Stewart has posted sensational batted-ball metrics in his younger profession, averaging a comical 95.5 mph off the bat with a 19.6% barrel fee and a 55.4% hard-hit fee. He shouldn’t be anticipated to maintain these Aaron Judge/Kyle Schwarber-esque ranges, however loads of massive league hitters aren’t bodily able to even fluking their approach into that sort of batted-ball high quality over a stretch of 24 video games.
Suffice it to say, Stewart appears to be like the a part of a middle-of-the-order slugger — exactly the kind of hitter Cincinnati has struggled to develop lately. The former third baseman is being given each alternative to run with the Reds’ major first base job, and to date, the outcomes converse for themselves. Stewart has already positioned himself for a high quality payday, based mostly on current precedent for early-career extensions. Would the Reds pony up a aggressive supply? That a lot stays unclear.
“It always depends on where each side is and what each side is looking for,” Krall stated on the chance. “…You have to find the right number for the club and the player to have it make sense.”
As MLBTR’s Contract Tracker shows, the Reds haven’t given been particularly lively on the extension entrance in current seasons. They signed backup catcher Jose Trevino to a two-year deal guaranteeing him $11.5MM when he was on the doorstep of free company, however that’s fairly a distinct state of affairs than the one during which Stewart finds himself. The solely time prior to now decade that Cincinnati has come to phrases on a long-term deal extending membership management over a pre-arbitration participant is Hunter Greene‘s six-year, $53MM deal signed about three years ago. They’ve made different overtures, including a club-record offer to shortstop Elly De La Cruz final spring that didn’t come to fruition. Joey Votto‘s 10-year, $225MM deal is the most important in franchise historical past.
[Related: Largest contract in franchise history for every MLB team]
Stewart, coincidentally, is represented by the identical company as Votto. He and his workforce at MVP Sports Group received’t be searching for an association of that magnitude, however current precedent can present some context on what Stewart would possibly moderately command.
Again using MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, there have solely been eight extensions over the previous decade for place gamers with between sooner or later and 171 days (sooner or later shy of a 12 months) of main league service time. Those offers vary from Ceddanne Rafaela (one other MVP consumer) signing at eight years and $50MM to Julio Rodríguez touchdown a 12-year, $210MM contract in Seattle. Four extra extensions for gamers with zero massive league service embrace Detroit’s Colt Keith (six years, $28.6MM plus three choices), Milwaukee’s Cooper Pratt (eight years, $50.75MM plus two choices), Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio (eight years, $82MM plus two choices) and Seattle’s Colt Emerson (eight years, $95MM plus one possibility).
Stewart’s offensive upside is significantly higher than that of Rafaela, which means he might moderately anticipate bigger arbitration paydays and thus a bigger assure on the contract. Conversely, Rodriguez had near a 12 months within the majors by the point he signed his deal. He’d already made the 2022 All-Star workforce and was the clear frontrunner in an AL Rookie of the Year race he’d finally win with 29 of 30 first-place votes.
Landing between these two extremes would make sense. The Orioles acquired catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo to signal for eight years and $67MM close to the top of the 2025 season, simply days after he’d first been summoned to the majors. Corbin Carroll had roughly the identical variety of video games and plate appearances as Stewart when he signed for eight years and $111MM, although he was a extra well-rounded prospect who provided large baserunning/protection worth on high of his bat. Stewart is extra of a bat-first prospect, however the early returns on that bat are onerous to disregard.
Aside from the beforehand talked about six-year deal for Greene, the Reds don’t have a lot on the long-term books. Greene is signed by 2028 with a membership possibility for 2029. He’s assured a complete of $41MM from 2026-28, or $60MM by 2029 if the choice is exercised. Ke’Bryan Hayes is signed by 2029 however for a extra modest complete of $36MM (together with the buyout on a 2030 possibility). No one else is is signed past the 2027 season. Closer Emilio Pagán and the aforementioned Trevino are the one gamers even assured something for 2027 — and Pagán might decide out following the present season.
That leaves the Reds on the hook for a complete no higher than $42MM in any of the following 4 seasons. Obviously, there are arbitration salaries that’ll consider to extend that quantity, and future trades and free agent acquisitions can even alter that backside line. For the time being, nonetheless, there’s no monetary roadblocks in place for a Stewart deal, particularly contemplating that the early seasons of an extension would in all probability include minimal salaries. Since contract extensions sometimes (albeit not all the time) mimic a participant’s would-be incomes progressions all through arbitration, Stewart’s wage in all probability wouldn’t start to essentially climb till after the very finish of the membership’s management home windows over Greene and Hayes.
