SOUTH JORDAN, UT. (Sept. 30, 2026) – The Salt Lake Bees wrapped up their 32nd season as a franchise and second year at The Ballpark at America First Square, celebrating a season highlighted by record-breaking performances, memorable promotions and unforgettable ballpark experiences throughout Downtown Daybreak.
Salt Lake finished the 2026 season with a 67-81 (.423) record and finished eighth in the Pacific Coast League. The Bees went 39-35 in the first half, their best mark at the midway point of a season since 2018, while finishing fourth in the Pacific Coast League standings and leading the first half in wins at home among PCL clubs.
Salt Lake went 9-10-7 in series play and went 14-12 in series openers and 11-15 in series finales. Friday was the Bees best day of the week going 16-10, notching the second most Friday wins in the PCL to Oklahoma City’s 17.
Alternate jerseys were the Bees’ best worn uniform going 10-3 when wearing alternate jerseys which included Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Night, Military Appreciation, Star Wars, Salt Lake Gulls, Occidentals, Christmas in June, Fourth of July, Country Weekend, Harry Potter and Princess Night.
The Abejas jerseys, as part of Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión campaign, were just as impressive, as the team went 5-1 in the uniforms, including a perfect 3-0 on the road.
Records Broken
Salt Lake broke two separate team records this season for walks and stolen base in a single season in franchise history. On Thursday September 3, Salt Lake broke a single-season franchise record with its 671st walk of the season, surpassing the previous record of 670 set in 2023. The Bees finished with a PCL leading 746 walks on the season which ranked second in Triple-A and fourth in all of Minor League Baseball.
On Saturday, September 12, Salt Lake set the record for stolen bases in a single-season in franchise history as Nelson Rada swiped the teams record breaking 181st stolen base of the year surpassing the previous record of 180 set in 2016. The Bees finished third in the PCL with 191 stolen bases and were caught just 43 times for a stolen base percentage of .816.
Rada himself finished with 43 swipes, the second most in a single-season among Bees franchise history only behind Jordyn Adams’ 44 steals in 2023.
In the home opener on March 31 vs. Sacramento, the Bees walked six times in the eighth inning, tying the franchise record for most free passes in a single frame (done five other times).
Awards
The Salt Lake Bees collected six Pacific Coast League in-season awards during the 2026 season, the most for the franchise since 2022, when the Bees earned 11. Caden Dana was named PCL Pitcher of the Week, while Denzer Guzman earned PCL Player of the Month honors for May. George Klassen was recognized as PCL Pitcher of the Week and later PCL Pitcher of the Month for July, while Ben Gobbel and Niko Kavadas each earned PCL Player of the Week honors.
Five PCL All-Stars
The Salt Lake Bees had a franchise-record five players named to the 2026 Pacific Coast League Postseason All-Star Team, the most selections of any team in the league. The honorees were 2B Christian Moore, SS Denzer Guzman, DH Niko Kavadas, UTL Kyren Paris and SP George Klassen.
The five selections are the most in a single season in Bees franchise history, surpassing the previous mark of three set in 2023. The Bees were the only PCL club with five postseason All-Stars and just one of five Minor League teams to collect five All-Star selections (Single-A Fresno (COL), High-A Everett (SEA), Double-A Arkansas (SEA) and Double-A Tulsa (LAD)).
Bees to the Bigs
A total of 40 Bees—including players on rehab assignments—advanced to the Angels during the season. Among them, five Salt Lake players made their Major League debuts: right-handers Brett Kerry, George Klassen, and Walbert Ureña; catcher Omar Martinez; and left-hander Samy Natera Jr.
Kerry logged 13.2 innings of work over three outings with the Halos. The right-hander displayed strong command with 12 strikeouts against only two walks, posting a 3.95 ERA and limiting opposing batters to a .212 average. He notched his first career Major League strikeout on June 17 versus Arizona. On August 8 in Miami, Kerry tallied his longest career relief outing at any level, firing 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts (tied his career high as a reliever).
In six appearances for the Angels, Klassen recorded a 2-2 record and a 3.67 ERA over 27 innings. He registered 24 strikeouts while issuing 21 walks, holding opponents to a .225 batting average. His first Major League strikeout occurred during a four-strikeout outing against Seattle on April 5.
Before earning his promotion to Los Angeles, Ureña logged just two outings for Salt Lake. The Dominican Republic native went on to deliver a stellar performance with the Angels, leading the team with nine wins and recording a 2.97 ERA across 148.1 innings. Over that stretch, he collected 142 strikeouts against 68 walks. He notched his first major league strikeout on March 26 in Houston and tossed a complete game on Sept. 6 in Pittsburgh.
In May, Martinez appeared in five games for the Halos. The catcher singled to right field in Toronto on May 9 during his initial big-league at-bat to earn his first MLB hit. Overall, he finished 1-for-3 (.333) with one strikeout across his five games with the Angels.
After 20 games with the Bees, Natera Jr. got the call to the big leagues. The southpaw was solid in his first taste of Major League Baseball, finishing his rookie campaign with a 1-2 record, a 3.13 ERA and three saves across 28 games and 31.2 innings. The Mexico native struck out 48 batters while walking just 13, holding opposing hitters to a .193 batting average. Natera Jr. recorded his first MLB strikeout in a three-strikeout outing against the Dodgers on June 6 at Dodger Stadium.
Hey Skip
Doug Davis completed his first season as manager of the Salt Lake Bees, joining the club following three seasons at the helm of the Round Rock Express. In his first year with Salt Lake, Davis led the Bees to a fourth-place finish in the first half with a 39-35 record, finishing just 5.5 games behind first place. It was the team’s best mark at the midway point of a season since 2018, while also leading the PCL with 25 home wins in the first half. The Bees finished the season 67-81 overall, scoring 909 runs while allowing 982.
Under Davis, the Bees posted an 8-7 record in extra-inning games and put together their best month of the season in May, going 16-10 overall and 11-4 at home. Salt Lake hit .302 as a team during the month while averaging 7.42 runs per game.
Davis came to Salt Lake after going 237-210 across three seasons with Round Rock from 2023-25, leading the Express to a franchise-record 89 wins and a second-half title in 2025, along with the club's first Pacific Coast League Championship berth since 2019. Davis reached 971 career managerial victories during the 2026 season and holds a .521 (971-892) winning percentage over 14 total seasons at the helm.
Davis began his managerial career in 1996 with the Pittsfield Mets before taking over the Double-A Binghamton Mets in 1999. His coaching career also includes Major League experience as the Florida Marlins' bench coach in 2003 and 2004, including a World Series championship with the club in 2003. He has also served in field coordinator and coaching roles with the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays organizations.
A ninth-round selection by the California Angels in the 1984 MLB Draft, Davis played 11 professional seasons as a catcher and infielder in the Angels, Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals organizations. He appeared in seven Major League games, including six with the Angels in 1988 and one with the Rangers in 1992.
Best of the Ballpark
The crowds showed up for the second home season at The Ballpark at America First Square. Seven of the top 10 highest attended games in the ballpark’s short history occurred in 2026, with the venue record being broken three different times. The largest crowd of the year came in the final matchup of 2026, as 7,853 fans came through the gates on Sunday, September 13 against Round Rock.
Fans were treated to seven firework shows, six drone shows, and celebrated 12 different theme nights. Two of the postgame firework displays came with some patriotic flair, capping off America’s 250th Birthday on the Fourth of July and ending July 24th’s Pioneer Day.
Community Engagement
Salt Lake continued to make an impact throughout the community during the 2026 season, with players, coaches and staff taking part in events and visits throughout the year. The Bees made two appearances at the local Miracle League, visiting in May and again in September, while also making visits to local hospitals and elementary schools, including a reading event with students.
Players also connected with the community through a variety of events, including golfing with veterans, autograph signings and appearances throughout the Salt Lake Valley. The club hosted MLB’s Hit, Run & Pitch and Play Ball Weekend, providing local youth with opportunities to get on the field and learn more about the game.
The Bees also welcomed Angels teammates throughout the season, giving fans the opportunity to see and interact with players from the organization at the Triple-A level. From community visits and youth events to hospital visits, veteran outreach and player appearances, the Bees remained active off the field throughout the 2026 season.
Utah Dirty Sodas
The Utah Dirty Sodas were named Minor League Baseball’s 2026 Best New Alternate Identity, earning the top honor among six other nominees and celebrating the unique culture of Utah through the combination of dirty soda and baseball.
The Utah Dirty Sodas were selected from a field that included the Columbus Scrambled Dogs (Double-A, Braves), Las Vegas Headliners (Triple-A, Athletics), Louisville Humidity (Triple-A, Reds), Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas (Single-A, Cardinals), Reading Iced Coffees (Double-A, Phillies) and the Tulsa Ranch Dippers (Double-A, Dodgers).
The Salt Lake Bees first announced the Utah Dirty Sodas identity in February before taking the field as the Dirty Sodas for the first time on Wednesday, April 1. Throughout the 2026 season, the Bees transformed into the Utah Dirty Sodas every Wednesday home game, turning summer nights at The Ballpark at America First Square into a high-energy celebration of Utah flavor, community and baseball.