Hot Rods announce 2026 Opening Day roster
PRESS RELEASE: BOWLING GREEN HOT RODS
15 players return to Bowling Green, including six Rays’ top 30 prospects
Bowling Green, Kentucky – With Opening Day fast approaching, the Bowling Green Hot Rods, High-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, are excited to announce the 2026 roster. Headlined by six of the Rays’ MLB Pipeline top 30 prospects, the roster includes 15 returners, including eight pitchers and seven hitters.
Theo Gillen, the Rays’ No. 2 prospect, and the No. 73 prospect in the MLB Pipeline Top 100, will make his High-A debut with the Hot Rods. In 2025, Gillen showed the Rays his potential, reaching base safely in 43 consecutive games with Single-A Charleston. He also led the RiverDogs with 36 steals, finishing 13th in the Carolina League.
The Rays’ No. 6 prospect, Anderson Brito, will play his first season in Bowling. Although, it is not the first time Hot Rods fans have seen him. Brito was acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros, spending last season in the South Atlantic League with the Asheville Tourists. On May 13, 2025, Brito struck out 12 batters in a game at Bowling Green Ballpark. The right-hander will get a new view from the home side.
Nathan Flewelling currently ranks No. 11 in the Rays’ system. He finished his first MiLB season with Bowling Green, playing 16 games with an additional two postseason appearances. Before joining the Hot Rods, he led the Carolina League with 89 walks in 102 games. The 89 walks ranked third across all the MiLB.
Finishing his season with a 1-1 record and 3.33 ERA over five starts, Trevor Harrison comes back to the Hot Rods. Ranked as the No. 16 Rays’ prospect, the right-handed pitcher dealt over the first 17 games of his season in Single-A Charleston, posting a 7-2 record with a 2.61 ERA.
After pitching in just one game last season, Jose Urbina returns to Bowling Green. The No. 17 Rays’ prospect made his High-A debut on September 7, 2025, at Bowling Green Ballpark. Afterwards, he returned to Single-A Charleston and was recognized as a 2025 Carolina League Post-Season All-Star.
Gary Gill Hill, the Rays’ No. 27 prospect, rejoins the Hot Rods pitching staff after a solid first season at High-A. He made 25 starts in 2025, racking up a career-high 107 strikeouts with a 3.82 ERA. Gill Hill finished his season with a 5.0 innings of shutout baseball on September 5, 2025.
Other pitchers returning to Bowling Green for the upcoming season include Noah Beal, Cade Citelli, TJ Fondtain, Garrett Gainey, Andres Galan, and Jose Urbina.
New additions to the Hot Rods pitching staff for the upcoming season consist of Ryan Andrade, Anderson Brito, Kaleb Corbett, Jacob Kisting, Jacob Kmatz, Andrew Lindsey, Andy Rodriguez, and Jonathan Russell, who was added to the 2025 postseason roster but did not appear.
Hitters joining the Hot Rods for the first time include J.D. Gonzalez, Ricardo Gonzalez, Ryan McCoy, Connor Hujsak, and Tom Poole.
Other returning hitters are comprised of Jose Perez, Emilien Pitre, Narciso Polanco, Tony Santa Maria, Adrian Santana, and Angel Mateo.
Seven players will start the season on the Hot Rods injured list. This includes pitchers Jadon Bercovich (7-day), Junior William (7-day), and Chandler Murphy (60-day), and hitters Marshall Toole (7-day), Aidan Smith (7-day), and Ryan Cermak (60-day).
Bowling Green will host an open practice on Wednesday, April 1, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM CT at Bowling Green Ballpark. All Hot Rods fans can watch practice from the stands and will meet the team on the concourse after the conclusion of practice. Please bring your own items for signatures.
