The Rocket City Trash Pandas 2022 season began on Friday night versus the Birmingham Barons, and the team took the day before their game to host a media day for the interested journalists of northern Alabama and southern Tennessee.

Now in their second season, the team is also under the leadership of a new manager: Andy Schatzley. Schatzley took the time to speak to several members of the press while the players met individually with interested members of the press as well.

Schatzley, a fan of the Rocket City area, says he is looking forward to getting the season under way and representing northern Alabama well.

This is his third season as a member of the L.A. Angels organization, whom the Trash Pandas are an affiliate of. The previous season, he managed the High Single-A Tri-City Dust Devils. During his tenure there, he would manage multiple players to become standouts for the Trash Pandas.

“We are excited about the group. We are excited about what we get to do, and more excited about who we get to do it with,” Schatzley, 37, said. “It is a talented group of men and a really good group of people. (The Trash Pandas) are an affiliate experience that is not only known across the country, but known within the Angels organization, too. It is talked about in Spring Training. This is my first experience hands-on, boots on the ground here, and everything has not only met expectations, but exceeded it.”

The roster has been decided and the players got their chance to meet the media before traveling to Birmingham the following day to take on their rivals in the Barons.

This includes Opening Day starting pitcher, Brett Kerry, of Clemmons, N.C., drafted in the 5th round of the 2021 First Year Player Draft.

“It’s definitely been a long offseason, so it’s a blast just to finally get out and go face some competition,” Kerry said. “It has definitely been a blast just to go out every day of Spring Training with the team and just getting to practice and play with the guys; I feel like practicing creates that jive within the team. It is fantastic to see a fanbase that is so supportive. The inaugural season was just last year, and to get such a supportive base so quickly is definitely something.”

While the Trash Pandas are part of the societal fabric of northern Alabama, there is actually not a single player from Alabama on the team, according to their roster.

However, they have players from all over the world, looking to make the 256 area their home and make an impression on the Angels’ club.

This includes outfielder Aaron Whitefield, who is from Brisbane, Australia.

Sporting tattoos representing New Zealand tradition, where his father is from, Whitefield is happy to be where he is and to be playing for the up-and-coming baseball team.

“I am excited to get to know the town and see how it is. I played in this league in 2019, but obviously the Rocket City (team) wasn’t here then. I am excited to get around and see what Huntsville has in store,” Whitefield said. “We have heard big things about the fans here, with them living it up. Hopefully we can win a lot of games.”

Despite the myriad of places that the players come from, and some of the players being new to the fans, Schatzley assured the media that he has built up rapport with many of the players and staff.

“It is a little bit unique in that it is their first exposure here; it is not necessarily our first exposure with each other” Schatzley said. “Several of these guys, we go back to the instructional league of 2020. I had close to half the roster a year ago. So, the rest of the community here may not be familiar with them and myself, but there is quite a bit of common ground between me and them and the staff.”

The Trash Pandas’ home opener will take place on Tuesday, against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, at 6:35 p.m.