At just 23 years old, Sal Stewart has quickly become one of the most intriguing figures in the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup, not only for his bat but for his daring approach to the league’s new automated ball‑strike system.
A Rookie’s Unlikely Edge
Stewart has already overturned 20 calls, a tally that sits just two shy of the entire Milwaukee Brewers roster, and he has done so by challenging 30 pitches — the most of any player in the system’s inaugural year — with a success rate that outpaces every peer.
Mentorship and Confidence
What sets Stewart apart is a blend of supreme confidence, razor‑sharp strike‑zone awareness and a maturity beyond his years, traits that even veterans like Manny Machado, his childhood hero and mentor, have publicly praised.
Machado, who once watched Stewart dominate high school competition, recalls the rookie’s teenage certainty that he belonged among the big leaguers, a confidence that has translated into fearless challenges on the field.
Strategic Guidance from the Dugout
Reds manager Terry Francona has openly endorsed the strategic use of ABS challenges, urging his players to deploy them at the right moment rather than recklessly, a philosophy that Stewart appears to embody.
Catchers Find a New Ally
Catchers such as P.J. Higgins have also felt the ripple effect; Higgins, who boasts a high success rate in both Triple‑A and the majors, credits the extra reps with building the poise needed to influence close calls.
The broader lesson, according to Stewart himself, is that repetition breeds confidence, and confidence breeds success — a cycle that the Reds hope will produce more wins as the season progresses.