Veteran Pitchers Sean Poppen and Jordan Holloway Join Trash Pandas

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SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

Veteran Pitchers Sean Poppen and Jordan Holloway Join Trash Pandas

May 7, 2025 - Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


MADISON, Ala. - On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Angels announced three roster moves that affected the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Veteran right-handed pitchers Sean Poppen and Jordan Holloway have joined the Trash Pandas roster from the ACL Angels, and in a corresponding move, RHP Ryan Costeiu has been transferred to High-A Tri-City.

Holloway, 28, was signed by the Angels as a minor league free agent on April 23. The former 20th-round selection by the Miami Marlins in 2014 appeared in 13 games for Miami in 2021, recording a 2-3 record with a 4.00 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 36 innings. His 2022 MLB stint was brief, with a single appearance before undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery in August, ending his season. Holloway made his MLB debut on July 26, 2020, pitching a scoreless 1/3 inning against the Philadelphia Phillies.

After electing free agency in November 2022, Holloway signed minor league contracts with the Chicago Cubs and later the Chicago White Sox in 2023. In February 2024, he joined the Seattle Mariners organization on a minor league deal and elected free agency again in November 2024. The Colorado native was drafted straight out of Ralston Valley High School, foregoing his commitment to the University of Nebraska Omaha.

Poppen, 31, was signed by the Angels as a minor league free agent on April 28. The former 19th-round selection by the Minnesota Twins in 2016 has appeared in 63 MLB games for the Twins, Pirates, Rays, and Diamondbacks since 2019, with his last big league appearance coming in 2022. Over his MLB career, he's posted a 3-3 record and a 5.08 ERA, tossing 67.1 innings, striking out 67, and walking 30. After being drafted, he progressed through the Twins' minor league system, including a stop with Pensacola, and made his MLB debut on June 19, 2019, against the Boston Red Sox. In his debut, he pitched four innings in relief, allowing three runs. Over his minor league career, he's appeared in 178 games, with a 29-31 record, 3.72 ERA, 532.1 innings pitched, and 524 strikeouts. He was part of the Montgomery Biscuits' roster in 2018. During that season, he made 18 appearances, including 14 starts, and recorded a 5-7 record with a 3.83 ERA over 94 innings pitched. He struck out 79 batters and maintained a WHIP of 1.23. In 2019, Poppen began the season with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

On October 1, 2020, Poppen was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates and made three appearances in 2021, posting a 7.71 ERA. He was designated for assignment in May 2021 and traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, but had a brief tenure there before being designated again in July. Claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in August 2021, he made 20 appearances that year with a 4.67 ERA. In 2022, he had a 2-2 record over 29 games with a 4.40 ERA. The San Diego Padres claimed him in December 2022, and he struggled in 2023 with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, recording a 1-4 record and a 6.33 ERA. He signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners in January 2024 but was released in April after two appearances. Later that month, he joined the Gastonia Baseball Club in the Atlantic League, posting a 5.11 ERA in 12 games before being released in June 2024. In January 2025, he signed with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in the Mexican League, making three scoreless appearances. Poppen graduated from Harvard with honors in 2016, double majoring in Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering Sciences.

Costeiu, 24, has a 0-1 record with a 6.43 ERA over 14 innings pitched, 16 strikeouts, and 11 walks in five appearances (including one start).

Costeiu's season began on April 4, with a three-inning relief appearance against the Chattanooga Lookouts, where he allowed three runs. His lone start came on April 11 against the Knoxville Smokies, yielding three earned runs over 3.1 innings. Subsequent outings included a 2.2-inning relief appearance on April 17 against the Montgomery Biscuits, where he gave up three runs, and a 3.0-inning stint on April 24 against the Birmingham Barons, allowing one run. His most recent appearance was on April 29, again facing the Smokies, where he pitched 2.0 innings and surrendered one run.

The Trash Pandas will try to get back into the win column on Thursday when they take on the Biscuits in game three of a six-game series at Toyota Field. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. as southpaw Sam Aldegheri (1-1, 3.29 ERA) will go to the hill for the Trash Pandas against Montgomery righty Duncan Davitt (2-2, 3.60 ERA). Thursday is Soccer Night and Scarf Giveaway, as the first 1,500 fans through the gates will receive a commemorative Trash Pandas Soccer Scarf courtesy of Huntsville Compounding Pharmacy.

Single-game tickets are available, starting at just $8 for general admission and $16 for field-level seats. They can be purchased online at tptix.com. Fans can also purchase tickets in person during regular business hours at the Wicks Family Foundation Box Office or by calling 256-325-1403, option 1.

Fans can book their group outings for the 2025 season by visiting trashpandasgroups.com or by calling the group sales department directly at (256) 325-1403, option 2. 20-game mini-plans are also available at tptix.com.

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