May 11, 2021: Prior to the home opener, the Trash Pandas retired No. 5 in honor of Huntsville baseball legend Don Mincher. A Huntsville native, Mincher played 13 Major League seasons, earning two All-Star selections and winning a World Series with Oakland in 1972. He later served as the Huntsville Stars’ first President and General Manager and was previously honored with a retired No. 5 by the Stars. August 1, 2021: Reid Detmers, the Trash Pandas’ Opening Night starter and first ace, becomes the first former Rocket City player to reach the Major Leagues, earning a promotion to the Los Angeles Angels after just one Triple-A start. August 6, 2021: The Trash Pandas defeat Chattanooga 26–3 in one of the most dominant offensive performances in Southern League history. Izzy Wilson goes 6-for-7—just a fielding error shy of perfection—as Rocket City sets multiple franchise and league offensive marks in the rout. February 25, 2022: Andy Schatzley is named the second manager in franchise history. March 9, 2022: SEC baseball comes to Toyota Field for the first time, with Auburn defeating Tennessee Tech 4–3 in front of 6,710 fans. April 8, 2022: The Trash Pandas begin their second season with an 8–2 road win over Birmingham. June 19, 2022: Rocket City clinches the First-Half North Division title and its first playoff berth with a 7–2 win over Montgomery. Bryce Teodosio hits the franchise’s first inside-the-park home run. September 3, 2022: The first no-hitter in franchise history is thrown by Chase Silseth, Luke Murphy, and Eric Torres in an 8–0 win over Biloxi. September 15, 2022: The Trash Pandas clinch the Second-Half North Division title with a 5–2 win over Birmingham. September 20, 2022: Rocket City wins its first playoff game in franchise history, defeating Tennessee 9–5 at Smokies Stadium. September 22, 2022: The Trash Pandas drop their first home playoff game, 4–2 to Tennessee. September 23, 2022: Rocket City is eliminated from the playoffs with a 3–1 loss, dropping the series two games to one. October 15, 2022: Toyota Field hosts its first football game, as Jacksonville State defeats North Alabama 47–31 in front of 10,124 fans. April 8, 2023: The Trash Pandas record the second no-hitter in franchise history in a 7–5 loss to Chattanooga in a seven-inning Game 2 of a doubleheader at Toyota Field. Starter Coleman Crow throws six hitless innings, but Rocket City issues five walks, hits four batters, and commits a key error in the seventh, allowing seven runs without surrendering a hit—one of the rare instances in professional baseball history of a team throwing a no-hitter and losing. August 18, 2023: Angels first-round pick Nolan
Schanuel is promoted to the Major Leagues just 40 days after being drafted—the fastest promotion since 1995. May 13, 2024: The Trash Pandas welcome their one millionth fan to Toyota Field, marking a major franchise milestone. August 2, 2024: Angels first-round pick Christian Moore is promoted to Rocket City. February 19–24, 2025: Toyota Field hosts softball for the first time during the Rocket City Softball Showcase, featuring 13 NCAA programs and 12 high schools, including Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss.
April 8, 2025: Cole Fontenelle hits for the first cycle in franchise history in a 4–3 win over Knoxville. May 4, 2025: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver features the Trash Pandas during a Minor League Baseball segment, praising the brand. June 4, 2025: The Trash Pandas win their first Rickwood Classic appearance, shutting out Birmingham 1–0 at historic Rickwood Field. July 3, 2025: Oscar Colás hits three home runs in a 10–8 win over Knoxville, becoming the second player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. July 13, 2025: Denzer Guzmán records the first five-hit game in franchise history, going 5-for-5 with four RBIs in an 8–2 win. December 17, 2025: The Trash Pandas are named Baseball America’s Double-A Freitas Award winner. January 12, 2026: Joe Kruzel is named the third manager in franchise history, following Andy Schatzley and Jay Bell. January 13, 2026: The Trash Pandas announce the Global Baseball Series, bringing the TOYOTA Red Cruisers industrial team to North Alabama. The event features games against the University of Alabama in Huntsville (March 31, 2026) and the Red Cruisers (April 1), while the Red Cruisers will also face Alabama A&M on March 30.
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