Former Trash Pandas Powering Current Angels

In just three seasons, several former Rocket City Trash Pandas have gone on to play at the Major League level with the Los Angeles Angels.

To date, 24 former Trash Pandas have made their MLB debut for the Angels. Some have had only brief cups of coffee at the game’s highest level. Others have gone on become mainstays in the show.

The former Trash Pandas represent some of the youngest players on the Los Angeles roster. But despite their age, they are using lessons learned in North Alabama to make their mark in Los Angeles.

While the Angels were on a road trip in Atlanta earlier this month, we caught up with former Trash Pandas Reid Detmers, Zach Neto, Chase Silseth, Jordyn Adams, and Logan O’Hoppe to talk about lessons learned with the Trash Pandas, playing in last season’s Southern League Playoffs, and more.

Q: What is something you learned during your time in Rocket City that has helped you throughout the rest of your career?

Jordyn Adams: Going out every night and giving the crowd what they want. Give them a show. They pack the ballpark in Huntsville and have a very passionate fan base. Playing in front of that crowd, it gives you that big league atmosphere and it feels nice to be able to bring it to a big-league stadium.

Reid Detmers: I learned a lot about myself, especially coming right out of college. Being with Michael Wuertz, he was awesome. We talked about pitching, scouting reports, anything about pitching, it was awesome. That’s what has translated up here. Learning more about your body, how to sequence pitches, going over scouring reports, and everything like that.

Zach Neto: Learning who I am, building my routine, keep learning every day from these veteran guys and keep taking it in. Andy (Schatzley) and the coaching staff taught me a lot, starting with soaking it all in and taking it one pitch at a time. If it wasn’t for them, I’d probably be a hot mess up here. He’s done a lot for my career, and I thank him every day for it.

Q: How did making the playoffs with the Trash Pandas last year prepare you for what you’re going through right now at the Major League level?

Chase Silseth: Last year helped everybody on that team. It taught us what baseball is and what we want it to be. It’s probably pushed up a notch up here. But we’ve been through that where we need to keep pushing and take care of our bodies late in the season so we’re ready to go when the time comes.

Zach Neto: Last year was my first professional season and I was fortunate enough to play for the Trash Pandas and have a good series. But it’s a good push for us in the moment where we are right now with the Angels. It’s a bigger stage and a bigger crowd watching but it’s the same game. You just go out there, keep doing you and helping the team as much as you can.

Q: A lot of your teammates with the Trash Pandas are now your teammates with the Angels. How important is it to have that chemistry coming up through the system and to be able to push each other to succeed?

Logan O’Hoppe: These are the guys that you get close with and build relationships with. Everyone I lived with at spring training was on the Trash Pandas last year. I don’t know if we go out of our way to push each other but I think it just naturally happens being around each other so much. I like seeing everyone succeed, it’s a ton of fun.

Reid Detmers: It’s cool to see the young core we have. A lot of us came from the Trash Pandas and worked our way up from there. To see all the familiar faces, everyone that has been through the system that is up here now and how they go about their business, it’s awesome. There’s good leadership and they’re all even better people and that’s the main thing. It’s just good people and that’s all you can really ask for in a good team.

Zach Neto: It’s an awesome feeling to know that we all played together last year and now to have that same core on a bigger stage. It’s great for us to see each other make our debuts. For Logan and Chase to be there for my debut this year, it was awesome. It’s a good feeling and a good step forward for us.

Chase Silseth: It’s awesome to see guys move up through and contribute at a high level as well. It makes us more comfortable and confident to be with guys that we’ve been with coming up. It just makes it so much better right now.

Jordyn Adams: It’s fun because once you get in the middle of all that you realize how good the organization will be in the coming years. It’s fun to know the guys that are coming up with you and performing. It’s a ton of excitement.