MADISON, AL – Rocket City Trash Pandas Athletic Trainer Dylan Culwell has been named the 2026 Southern League Athletic Trainer of the Year, earning the honor for the second consecutive season.
Presented by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS), the award recognizes athletic trainers across Minor League Baseball. Culwell adds this year’s recognition to his 2025 Southern League honor and the 2022 Northwest League Athletic Trainer of the Year award he earned with the High-A Tri-City Dust Devils.
Culwell is in his third season with the Trash Pandas and sixth in the Los Angeles Angels organization. Since joining Rocket City in 2024, he has played a vital role in the daily care, health, and preparation of the club’s players.
A native of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Culwell’s experience also extends to international competition. He served as an athletic trainer for Team Italy during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Before joining the Angels organization, Culwell worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His educational background includes UNLV and Tabor College, along with a master’s degree in health and healthcare administration management from Grand Canyon University.
ABOUT THE ROCKET CITY TRASH PANDAS
Owned and operated by BallCorps, LLC, the Rocket City Trash Pandas are the proud Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels in the Southern League. The Trash Pandas play at state-of-the-art Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama. The organization’s mission is to unite its communities by creating positive and lasting memories, one experience at a time.