Burns and Sal Stewart earn first All-Star nods as Reds’ next core takes shape

Cincinnati’s rebuilding language often sounds cautious, but the National League roster for the 96th All-Star Game carried a different message on July 5. The Reds had two players named through the Player Ballot, right-hander Chase Burns and infielder Sal Stewart, both first-time All-Stars. The honor places Cincinnati’s emerging group in the same spotlight as the league’s most established stars, and it also serves as a public marker of how their young core is being received by players across MLB.

Burns’ selection reflects how his profile has translated beyond the clubhouse. According to the MLB announcement, the Reds right-hander was among those informed of the honor by manager Terry Francona prior to a game against the Orioles. The broader point is not just that Burns made the roster, but that his performance has carried enough recognition to reach the Player Ballot stage, where votes come directly from fellow major leaguers.

Stewart’s path to the All-Star roster was striking in its immediacy. MLB reported that Stewart was “shocked” by the call, a reaction that matters in the way it illustrates the speed of his rise. The same release said he had been left stunned while watching the All-Star Game every year growing up, including time with his father, and that he did not view the honor as something he was headed toward this season.

The production behind Stewart’s breakout has come in bursts that stand out for a rookie. MLB noted that Stewart, described as “the Reds’ team leader,” has 17 home runs, and it highlighted his month-to-month impact with 26 RBIs in April and 22 in June. The release also placed his early power in historical context, stating that only Hall of Famer Frank Robinson hit more home runs as a Reds rookie prior to the All-Star break. Robinson had 18 in 1956.

Stewart’s selection also fits a recognizable Reds pattern, where a young player’s early season momentum can become a team identity. MLB pointed out that Stewart is the third Reds rookie since 1920 to have multiple months with at least 20 RBIs through the first half, joining Jim Greengrass (1953) and Tony Cuccinello (1930). The club’s timing matters, too. At the All-Star point of the season, the Reds are not merely showcasing prospects, they are presenting players who have already earned a meaningful vote of confidence from the league.

With Burns and Stewart headed to Philadelphia for the All-Star Game, the next question is what Cincinnati builds around their timelines. Burns and Stewart now join a broader group that has been rising rapidly enough to make the Player Ballot a reality, not a hypothetical. For the Reds, the immediate watch is how they manage the personal milestones without letting the roster’s momentum flatten in the second half. For the league, the storyline is whether these two first-timers can carry their early legitimacy into the moments that define postseason contenders.