Former Rocket City Trash Pandas pitcher George Klassen has reached the majors, becoming the 48th player in franchise history to make his MLB debut.
Klassen, a 24-year-old right-hander, started Sunday for the Los Angeles Angels against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium. He pitched 2.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts. He is the second former Trash Panda to debut in 2026.
The Indiana native entered the season as the Angels’ No. 4 prospect and earned the call-up after beginning the year in Triple-A. He previously developed into a key starter for Rocket City during the 2025 season, earning a spot in the All-Star Futures Game.
The call-up marks another milestone for the Trash Pandas as the Double-A affiliate continues to develop talent for the major leagues.
Meanwhile, the Rocket City Trash Pandas opened its 2026 season with a series win at Toyota Field this past weekend, defeating the Biloxi Shuckers 9–8 on Sunday to take two of three games. The Trash Pandas (2-1) will be off Monday before beginning a six-game road series Tuesday in Knoxville against the Smokies.
The team returns home April 14 for a six-game series against Birmingham, highlighted by themed promotions including the first Tito’s Tail Waggin’ Tuesday of the season and a Zach Neto replica jersey giveaway for the first 1,000 adults.
