Five Lexington Legends Named South Atlantic League All-Stars
Michael Gigliotti leads a group of five Legends named to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game
The South Atlantic League (A) announced the rosters for its 2019 All-Star Game, naming five members of the Lexington Legends to the 2019 South Division squad. RHP Jonathan Bowlan, LHP Austin Cox, RHP Jon Heasley, CF Michael Gigliotti and DH Chase Vallot will represent Lexington and the Royals organization on June 18 at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, West Virginia.
In addition to the players, manager Brooks Conrad will lead the side against the North Division All-Stars, after Lexington won the SAL championship last year. He’ll be joined by hitting coach Jesus Azuaje and athletic trainer Danny Accola.
Here’s a look at the Lexington All-Stars and their accomplishments so far this season.
RHP Jonathan Bowlan
Bowlan will be suiting up for an All-Star Game for the first time in his professional career later this month, after posting a 5–2 record and 3.06 ERA (22 ER in 64.2 IP) in 12 games (10 starts) so far. He began his 2019 campaign on a high note, punching out a career-high nine batters in his first start of the season on April 9. In a recent start on June 3 in Greenville, he hurled a career best 7.0 innings en route to his third consecutive winning decision, allowing just one run on two hits, with four strikeouts and no walks. Bowlan has walked just eight batters so far this season, while fanning 65and holding opponents to a .207 (48-for-232) batting average.
The 23-year-old is in his second season in the organization, after being selected in the second round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Memphis.
LHP Austin Cox
Southpaw Cox has also been a key player in the Legends’ starting rotation, compiling a 4–3 record and 3.07 ERA (23 ER in 67.1 IP) in 12 starts this season, with 71 strikeouts and a 1.10 WHIP. He had a 16.1 scoreless-innings streak from the fifth inning on May 17 through the third inning on June 4. The 22-year-old matched his career high with nine punchouts on May 23 at Hickory, and has six-or-more strikeouts in seven of his 12 starts this season. Cox was also named Lexington’s Pitcher of the Month for May, going 3–1 with a 2.52 (10 ER in 35.2 IP) in six starts last month.
Cox was selected by the Royals in the fifth round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of Mercer University, and spent last season with Rookie-level Burlington. This is his first professional All-Star selection.
RHP Jon Heasley
Heasley began the year in the Lexington bullpen, going a perfect 3–0 with a 1.93 ERA (3 ER in 14.0 IP) in five April relief appearances, but moved into the starting rotation afterwards. He’s 5–2 with a 2.56 ERA (15 ER in 52.2 IP) in 12 appearances (seven starts), with a 0.95 WHIP. The 22-year-old Texas native recorded his first career 10-strikeout game on May 19 vs. Asheville, allowing just a solo homer and a walk in 6.0 innings.
Heasley was a 13th round selection out of Oklahoma State University last year.
CF Michael Gigliotti
Gigliotti was the Lexington Player of the Month for April, and hasn’t slowed down since. The 23-year-old batted .297 (27-for-91) with 10 multi-hit efforts in May, and had a career-high 10-game hit streak from May 20-June 1. He hit .410 (16-for-39) across the streak, which surpassed his previous best by a game. Gigliotti has put his proclivity for getting on base to good use, swiping a SAL-leading 25 bags this season while being thrown out just five times. He’s batting .290 (61-for-210) in 53 games overall this season. He was named a Baseball America Rookie All-Star and Appalachian League Postseason All-Star in 2017.
Gigliotti in his third season in the organization, after being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Lipscomb University.
C/DH Chase Vallot
Slugger Vallot leads the Legends with nine homers this season, more than halfway to his single-year best of 15, set in 2016 with Lexington and Surprise. He ranks in the SAL top 10 in slugging percentage (.470). Vallot hit safely in a season high five consecutive games from April 19–25, and has six multi-RBI efforts on the year. This is his second career professional All-Star selection, after being named to the SAL midseason All-Star team in 2016.
Vallot is in his sixth season in the Royals organization and was originally selected in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft (40th overall) out of St. Thomas More High School in Louisiana.
