Angels' top prospect and other reinforcements power Double-A squad to first title

Change can happen quickly in pro sports. Just ask Double-A Rocket City, which spent much of 2026 proving that redemption is always around the corner.

Behind the third long ball of the playoffs by Arjun Nimmala (LAA No. 1/MLB No. 35) and a dominant 10-K effort from starting pitcher Austin Gordon, the Angels’ affiliate took home their first Southern League title with a 3-1 win over Biloxi on Wednesday night at Toyota Field.

The Trash Pandas completed a remarkable transformation, going from a Minor League-worst 42-95 record in 2025 to a 72-65 record and ultimately the championship this year.

Rocket City swept Knoxville in the semifinals and overcame a loaded Biloxi squad that featured two Top 100 prospects (MLB's No. 1 Jesús Made and Josh Adamczewski) as well as the most prolific home run hitter the Minors has seen in 40 years (Andrew Fischer) en route to the crown.

A wave of young talent helped fuel the turnaround, with several of the Angels’ most prominent prospects arriving in Rocket City during the summer. They made important contributions to a club that found its stride at precisely the right time.

Here are a few notable players who helped deliver the Trash Pandas its first championship:

Arjun Nimmala, SS

Few players changed the complexion of Rocket City’s season quite like Nimmala. Acquired from Toronto in a four-player deal at the Trade Deadline, the 2023 first-rounder immediately became one of the organization’s most closely watched players.

Nimmala saved his biggest offensive surge for September, homering seven times in the final 11 regular-season games and slashing .283/.377/.826 to help Rocket City secure a playoff spot.

The 20-year-old carried that production into the postseason, going deep in both semifinal contests against Knoxville and delivering a fitting capper in Game 3 of the Finals.

Tyler Bremner, RHP

Bremner’s first professional season was always going to be closely watched, and the Angels’ No. 2 prospect (MLB No. 43) provided Rocket City with a big-game arm down the stretch.

The second overall pick in the 2025 Draft joined the Trash Pandas in August after beginning the year with High-A Tri-City. Bremner looked solid in five late-season starts, running an impressive 38/8 K/BB ratio in 24 1/3 innings to go along with a 1.11 WHIP and a 4.44 ERA.

The 22-year-old showed his mettle in the playoffs, striking out 11 while yielding two runs in 10 innings (1.80 ERA), including a sterling effort in Game 2 of the Finals against the Shuckers in which he fanned seven in five scoreless frames. His regular-season totals included 100 strikeouts over 72 2/3 innings while surrendering two or fewer runs in 13 of his 19 starts across the two Minor League levels.

Jake Munroe, OF

While the late-summer arrivals provided plenty of prospect buzz, Munroe’s contributions started much earlier.

The 23-year-old supplied power and production all season, and he performed even better after his promotion to Rocket City in late June. The Angels’ No. 20 prospect slugged eight of his career-high 19 roundtrippers for the Trash Pandas and slashed .315/.412/.491 with 24 extra-base hits, 47 runs and 38 RBIs in 62 games.

Like Nimmala, Munroe came through when it mattered most. The Louisville product hit safely in seven of his final 10 games down the stretch and batted .333 with a 1.003 OPS in September. His performance in Game 1 of the Finals proved crucial, drawing a pair of walks and helping Rocket City rally for a key win with a game-tying RBI single in the seventh inning.

Jacob Cozart, C

Cozart arrived in the Angels’ organization in the same wave of Trade Deadline deals as Nimmala, and the catcher quickly made his presence felt.

Obtained from the Guardians in exchange for slugger Jo Adell, Cozart homered in his second Double-A game for the Trash Pandas and left the yard seven times and drove in 22 runs in 28 games after joining the club.

The Angels’ No. 22 prospect finished the season with 30 extra-base hits, 17 homers, 66 RBIs and a .745 OPS between Double-A Akron and Rocket City. Like many of his teammates, Cozart was even better when the postseason lights flipped on, going 5-for-9 with a homer, a double and four RBIs in the two-game sweep of Knoxville. The 23-year-old went deep again in Game 1 of the Finals.

For a team that hovered around the .500 mark for most of the season, the run toward a title was the product of a roster that blended established contributors with some of the Angels’ most exciting young talent. And with Nimmala, Bremner, Cozart and others leading the way, Rocket City’s first championship also served as a glimpse at what could be coming next for the organization.