Six Trash Pandas Promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake for Final Week
SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Six Trash Pandas Promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake for Final Week

Published on September 17, 2025 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


MADISON, Ala. - With the Rocket City Trash Pandas' season concluding on Sunday, six players have been promoted to the Salt Lake Bees to finish out the Triple-A schedule, which runs through September 21. Pitchers Joel Hurtado, George Klassen, Dylan Phillips, and Walbert Ureña were joined by catchers Myles Emmerson and Yeremi Villahermosa.

Klassen, 23, made his Triple-A debut on Tuesday night, tossing 6.0 innings of two-run baseball with eight strikeouts. The Angels' No. 3 prospect ended his Rocket City season on a high note, throwing a career-best 7.0 innings of one-run baseball with eight strikeouts on September 10. Over his final four Double-A starts, he posted a 1.17 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 23.0 innings. In total, Klassen finished 2025 with 25 starts, a 4-12 record, and a 5.22 ERA across 108.2 innings, striking out 134 against 47 walks.

Hurtado, 24, started 18 games for Rocket City, going 5-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 86.0 innings. He recorded seven quality starts and walked just 23 while striking out 56.

Phillips, 26, thrived in relief after joining the Trash Pandas from High-A Tri-City on August 2. In 10 Rocket City appearances (two starts), he pitched to a 2.84 ERA over 19.0 innings with 20 strikeouts and seven walks. Before his promotion, Phillips posted a 2-3 record with a 3.35 ERA, eight saves, and 37 strikeouts in 31 games with Tri-City. He also appeared in four games for Salt Lake earlier this season.

Ureña, 21, was just named Southern League Pitcher of the Week after carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning and allowing just one hit across 8.0 dominant innings on September 13 against Chattanooga. He closed 2025 with his 11th quality start, tying for the league lead, and went 2-1 with a 1.67 ERA over his final five outings. Ureña ended the year among the Southern League leaders in multiple categories: Starts (T-1st, 27), Quality Starts (T-1st, 11), Innings Pitched (1st, 135.1), Opponent Batting Average (10th, .231), and Strikeouts (9th, 115).

Emmerson, 27, was a steady presence behind the plate and in the clubhouse. The San Diego native caught 669.2 innings with a .984 fielding percentage, committing just 12 errors and nine passed balls while throwing out 26.7% of base stealers. At the plate, he hit .208 with 13 doubles, a triple, six homers, and 21 RBI in 83 games. He also made four relief appearances, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings.

Villahermosa, 22, joined the Trash Pandas on August 6 and appeared in one game, going 0-for-3 with a walk on August 24 at Birmingham.

The Trash Pandas wrapped up their 2025 season on Sunday with a 6-3 loss to Chattanooga. Rocket City will open its sixth season on Friday, April 3, 2026, at Toyota Field against the Biloxi Shuckers to begin a three-game weekend series.

Check out the Rocket City Trash Pandas Statistics

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Southern League Stories from September 17, 2025


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