World Baseball Classic Rosters Feature Five Trash Pandas
SL Rocket City Trash Pandas

World Baseball Classic Rosters Feature Five Trash Pandas

Published on February 6, 2026 under Southern League (SL)
Rocket City Trash Pandas News Release


MADISON, AL - Major League Baseball officially announced the finalized rosters for all 20 nations competing in the sixth edition of the World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 5-17, 2026, in Miami, Florida; Houston, Texas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Tokyo, Japan. The Rocket City Trash Pandas will be represented by five players who have been selected to participate in the prestigious international tournament.

Those selected with ties to Rocket City include LHP Adrian Almeida and OF Gustavo Campero (Colombia), LHP Sam Aldegheri (Italy), LHP Samy Natera Jr. (Mexico), and INF Ray-Patrick Didder (Netherlands).

Each team will play four games during pool play, with the top two teams in each pool advancing to the quarterfinals. The World Baseball Classic Championship Game will be played on March 17 at LoanDepot Park in Miami. Fans can click HERE to view the complete tournament schedule.

Aldegheri, 24, a native of Verona, Italy, spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons with Rocket City after being acquired from Philadelphia. He finished the 2025 season second in franchise history with eight wins, cementing himself as one of the most reliable arms in club history. Aldegheri also made two stints at the Major League level with the Angels. In 2025, he ranked among Southern League leaders in several categories, including quality starts (T-2nd, 10), starts (T-6th, 23), innings pitched (2nd, 128.1), wins (T-3rd, 8), strikeouts (10th, 110), ERA (7th, 3.72), opponent batting average (11th, .240), and WHIP (12th, 1.36).

Almeida, 30, was born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, and now resides in Colombia. He was a member of the inaugural Trash Pandas roster in 2021, after pitching for the Mobile BayBears in 2018 and 2019 prior to the franchise's relocation to Madison. Almeida appeared in 24 games during the Trash Pandas' inaugural season, posting a 3-0 record with a 4.70 ERA.

Campero, 26, a native of Lorica, Colombia, spent parts of three seasons in Rocket City from 2022-2024, appearing in 101 games. After playing just six games in 2022 while primarily serving as a bullpen catcher, Campero transitioned to the outfield and delivered a breakout 2024 campaign. He finished the season with 14 home runs, 45 RBI, 29 stolen bases, and a league-best .888 OPS, earning Trash Pandas Hitter of the Year honors, a Southern League All-Star selection, and a September call-up to make his Major League debut with the Angels.

Didder, 31, born in Oranjestad, Aruba, will represent the Netherlands. A fan favorite during Rocket City's inaugural 2021 season, Didder left a lasting mark on the franchise and remains the Trash Pandas' single-season leader in triples (5). He also ranks eighth in franchise history in doubles (21), was the starting shortstop in the first game in club history, and became the first Trash Pandas player to record a triple and a stolen base.

Natera Jr., 26, a native of Ju?rez, Mexico, will take the field for Mexico after spending time with Rocket City during the 2023 and 2025 seasons. Natera appeared in 43 games for the Trash Pandas, recording eight saves while posting a 4-2 record and a 3.79 ERA. He finished the 2025 season on a dominant stretch, going 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA over his final nine outings and striking out 68 batters in 47.2 innings.

Of note, Japan shortstop Sosuke Genda - one of the nation's top players - is a former member of the TOYOTA Red Cruisers industrial team, which will participate in the Global Baseball Series at TOYOTA Field on March 31 and April 1 against Alabama A&M and the Trash Pandas. Japan currently ranks first in the World Baseball Confederation world rankings.

For the latest on events taking place at TOYOTA Field, visit trashpandasbaseball.com/events. The Trash Pandas will open their sixth season at TOYOTA Field on Friday, April 3, against the Biloxi Shuckers. Fans can book a group outing for the 2026 season by visiting trashpandasgroups.com or by calling the group sales department directly at (256) 325-1403 option 2. Mini Plans, and game tickets are also available at TPTix.com.

Check out the Rocket City Trash Pandas Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Southern League Stories from February 6, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central