Hot Rods garner four SAL All-Star picks
Published 4:24 pm Wednesday, September 16, 2026
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Bowling Green Hot Rods left fielder Theo Gillen (14) hits a home run in the Hot Rods’ 7-6 win over the Rome Emperors at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
(Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Bowling Green Hot Rods pitcher Jacob Kisting (39) pitches to Hudson Valley Renegades first baseman Kyle West (39) in the Hot Rods’ 6-5 win against the Renegades at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, June 25, 20226.
(Grace McDowell / The Daily News)
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Bowling Green’s Ryan McCoy (31) bats during the Hotrods game against Jersey Shore on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at Bowling Green Ballpark in Bowling Green, Ky. (Caleb Lowndes / Daily News)
(Caleb Lowndes)
The Bowling Green Hot Rods had four players who were awarded South Atlantic League All-Star honors for 2026.
The Tampa Bay Rays No. 2 prospect, Theo Gillen won league MVP, while Jacob Kisting captured Pitcher of the Year. Ryan McCoy and Jacob Kmatz also received all-star nods to round out the all-star selections.
Gillen put out phenomenal numbers during his time in Bowling Green. The left-handed swinger played in 57 games with the Hot Rods, hitting .342 with a .449 OBP, clubbing 12 homers and collecting in 44 RBIs. Gillen put together two different on-base streaks of 20 or more games, as well as two double-digit hit streaks during the 2026 campaign.
The outfielder stayed in Bowling Green until June 23, receiving a call up to the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. His talents followed him to the next level, hitting .288 with 10 homers and a .390 OBP in Double-A.
Kisting was one of the most unstoppable forces on the mound in the SAL this season. He pitched in 18 games for the Hot Rods, making 16 starts, posting a 6-0 record with a 1.67 ERA. His ERA is the second lowest for any pitcher with 80 or more innings pitched in Hot Rods franchise history. Most impressively, the righty struck out 96 batters while walking just 18.
He was traded, along with former Hot Rods players Brayden Taylor and Adrian Santana, to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Liam Hicks on Aug. 3. He continued his strong performance in his new organization, recording a 4-0 record with a 1.88 ERA at the Double-A level with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
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McCoy was selected as an all-star for his work as a designated hitter in Bowling Green this season. His name was scattered across the SAL leaderboards during 2026. In his first full season within the Rays organization, McCoy finished first in OBP (.414), second in OPS (.955), third in SLG (.541), fourth in extra-base hits (46), fifth in average (.285), doubles (25) and runs (80).
The slugger played in just 18 games for the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs in 2025 after playing the 2024 Frontier League season with the New York Boulders.
Kmatz was one of the best late game bullpen options for Bowling Green this season. After breaking camp with the Hot Rods, the righty posted a 3-1 recorded with a 2.22 ERA over 18 appearances. He converted on six of nine save opportunities before being called up to Double-A Montgomery on June 9.
The reliever was later traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with catcher Hunter Feduccia for Jack Suwinski and international bonus pool space. Kmatz put up a 2.41 ERA over 13 appearances with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers after the trade.
