Outfielders Lugo, Meckler Added from Triple-A Salt Lake
SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Outfielders Lugo, Meckler Added from Triple-A Salt Lake

Published on April 7, 2026 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


KNOXVILLE, TN - The Angels announced on Tuesday the following roster moves prior to tonight's 6:05 pm CT series opener against the Knoxville Smokies at Covenant Health Park. Outfielders Matthew Lugo and Wade Meckler were transferred to Rocket City from Triple-A Salt Lake, and INF Matt Coutney was transferred from Rocket City to High-A Tri-City.

Lugo, 24, played in eight games for Salt Lake this season, batting .250 (4-for-16) with four runs scored, and three RBI. A native of Manatí, Puerto Rico, was acquired by the Angels at the 2024 trade deadline from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Luis García. Originally a second-round selection (69th overall) by Boston in the 2019 MLB Draft, Lugo made his Major League debut with the Angels on 5/9/25. Ranked as the Angels' No. 15 prospect entering 2025, he spent most of the season with Triple-A Salt Lake, batting .262 with 13 home runs, 60 RBI, and 28 doubles in 102 games. The nephew of nine-time MLB All-Star Carlos Beltrán, Lugo was also named the 2023 Puerto Rican Winter League Rookie of the Year.

Meckler, 25, played in five games for Salt Lake this season going 0-for-10 at the plate. A native of Anaheim, California, was acquired by the Angels from the San Francisco Giants in 2025. Originally an eighth-round selection by the Giants in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Oregon State, Meckler made his Major League debut on 8/14/23. He entered 2025 ranked as San Francisco's No. 14 prospect by MLB Pipeline and led all of Minor League Baseball with a .371 batting average in 2023. Meckler spent most of the 2025 season with Triple-A Sacramento, posting a .760 OPS over 87 games while showcasing defensive versatility across the outfield and infield.

Fans can follow the action this week in Knoxville with Josh Caray on 97.7 ESPN The Zone (WZZN-FM), Talk Radio 97.7 FM HD-2, or LISTEN LIVE HERE. Rocket City returns to Toyota Field on Tuesday, April 14, for a six-game set with Birmingham. The homestand featured the first Tito's Tail Waggin' Tuesday of the year, and the first 1,000 adults, 18 or older, will receive a Zach Neto Replica Jersey, presented by Storm Guard Roofing.

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Southern League Stories from April 7, 2026


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