When you think of the Cincinnati Reds' rising stars, Elly De La Cruz usually steals the headlines. But don't sleep on infielder Sal Stewart—he's quietly making a serious case for one of baseball's biggest honors.

Through 41 games this season, the 22-year-old is slashing .245 with an .812 OPS and has already launched 10 home runs, making him one of the Reds' most consistent bats. While he's hit a bit of a rough patch lately—batting .214 with a .624 OPS over his last seven games—the league still has its eyes on him.

In a recent poll of MLB experts, Stewart landed second in the race for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, earning six first-place votes. The current favorite? New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean, who dominated the poll with 23 first-place votes.

MLB.com's Jason Foster praised Stewart's impact: "He led all NL rookies outright in homers (10) and RBIs (30) entering play Monday, and was tied for the rookie lead in doubles (seven), while his .812 OPS ranked second. Stewart has been a major reason why the Reds are helping make the NL Central the best division in baseball this season."

To catch McLean, Stewart will need to heat up fast. The Mets' rookie has been electric, posting a 2.78 ERA with 57 strikeouts in his first eight starts.

If Stewart can pull it off, he'd join Jonathan India as the only Reds to win Rookie of the Year since 2021. India set the bar high that season with a .269 average, .835 OPS, and 21 homers in 150 games—but Stewart's early power surge suggests he's ready to chase that legacy.