ROSTER MOVES: Meckler Promoted to Los Angeles, Vera to Triple-A Salt Lake
SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

ROSTER MOVES: Meckler Promoted to Los Angeles, Vera to Triple-A Salt Lake

Published on May 22, 2026 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


MADISON, AL - The Los Angeles Angels announced the following roster moves impacting the Trash Pandas roster. Outfielder Wade Meckler has had his contract selected by the Los Angeles Angels, while infielder Arol Vera has been transferred from Rocket City to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Meckler, 26, was added to Rocket City's roster on April 7 from Triple-A Salt Lake and immediately became one of the Southern League's hottest hitters. In 33 games with the Trash Pandas, Meckler hit .343 to lead the league, while also pacing the circuit in on-base percentage (.449), ranking third in OPS (.974), and seventh in slugging percentage (.525). He homered in his first game with Rocket City on April 7 at Knoxville, recorded hits in each of his first eight games with the club, and reached base safely in his first 12 contests. On April 24 at Biloxi, Meckler reached base five times, going 2-for-2 with three walks.

Originally selected by the San Francisco Giants in the eighth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Oregon State University, Meckler made his Major League debut with San Francisco on August 14, 2023, just 13 months after being drafted. He recorded his first Major League hit and first multi-hit game the following day against Tampa Bay and quickly became one of the fastest players from his draft class to reach the majors.

Meckler entered the 2025 season ranked as San Francisco's No. 14 prospect by MLB Pipeline after leading all of Minor League Baseball with a .371 batting average in 2023 across three levels prior to his MLB promotion. He also earned 2023 https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fMiLB.com&c=E,1,ZAk6_0ONhW9nh77wDA0sFBpBMa037V9BF-sdVnOyzGqgFStNifN4zpcrC72H-pWc8QypVMSOakbATr294-aDAW9gxfcgtamjEcyrBqb5LNJAi47Xzw,,&typo=1 Organization All-Star honors. During the 2025 season with Triple-A Sacramento, Meckler posted a .760 OPS over 87 games and hit .301 from August through the end of the year.

A native of Anaheim, California, Meckler's path to professional baseball included an inspiring rise at Oregon State, where he earned First Team All-Pac-12 honors in 2022 after originally joining the program as a walk-on before being cut from the team in 2020.

Vera, 23, appeared in four games for Rocket City, going 2-for-9 at the plate with a double, RBI, and stolen base. The Valencia, VZ native was signed by the Angels as an international free agent in 2019.

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Southern League Stories from May 22, 2026


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