Reds Notebook: Sal Stewart's Power Hitting and the Team's Strategic Outfield Moves
The Power of Sal Stewart
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Sal Stewart is making waves in the Cactus League with his incredible power hitting. In a recent game against the White Sox, Stewart faced a 95 mph fastball right up around his stomach and responded with a 440-foot home run to straightaway center field. This display of raw talent and power has left veteran players and fans alike in awe.
"It seemed like he got jammed a little," said Nathaniel Lowe, a veteran first baseman. "But when you have that kind of pop, you can jam it all the way out to center field."
Despite losing 20+ pounds this year, Stewart's power hasn't diminished. In fact, it has added to the hype surrounding his first full year in the big leagues. Veteran utility player Garrett Hampson noted, "I didn’t think he really got ahold of it. It tells you how much talent he has and how much power he has in his bat."
The question on everyone's mind is whether Stewart's power is a result of his focus on hitting line drives or something more innate. "It’s definitely a part of it but it’s not my whole game," Stewart explained. "I want to hit a hard line drive. If I miss a bit, it goes over the fence. It’s a part of my game."
Last season, Stewart hit 25 total homers between Double-A, Triple-A, and MLB. In his 18 big league games, he hit five homers and led the Reds in home runs last September with a .838 OPS. His barrel rate was on pace to be top-20 in baseball, and all his underlying metrics were incredible.
"I’d be shocked if he doesn’t win the Rookie of the Year this year," said Spencer Steer. "He’s that good of a hitter. There’s a way he goes about it. He brings a good energy every day, and I love the confidence he has."
Strategic Outfield Moves
In the near future, TJ Friedl is set to make a start in left field. While he remains the Reds' everyday center fielder, manager Terry Francona is preparing for specific scenarios and wants Friedl to be able to move around a bit. This will allow Dane Myers, a gifted playmaking center fielder, to play his best position when he's in the lineup, ensuring the Reds have the best outfield combination possible on those days.
"Myers is such a good center fielder," Francona said. "You try to cover things in spring training so when the season happens you don’t look back and say I should have done that in spring training."
Noelvi Marte, in his first spring in the outfield, had a play he wanted back in right field early in the Cactus League schedule. "He just didn’t get back on it, and he knew it right away," Francona explained. "He went right up to me (and said) I’ve got to get behind it."
Team Bonding and Free Throw Competition
On Thursday morning, Jose Trevino led a team-wide free throw competition. It was a high-pressure situation and a good competition. Almost the entire team stopped what it was doing to watch, cheer, and hype up the event. It's these kinds of team-building activities that help foster camaraderie and a sense of community within the team.
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