MADISON — In just six weeks and after a delay of more than a year, the Rocket City Trash Pandas will finally play in Toyota Field.

A year after COVID-19 led to the cancellation of Minor League Baseball, and wiping out the team’s highly anticipated inaugural season, the organization is gearing up for a restart.

Trash Pandas President and CEO Ralph Nelson: “We are eternally grateful for (the fans’) support. They are going to be treated to a first-class experience from our staff …” (Photo/Steve Babin)

While some cities lost teams as the minor leagues were trimmed down in the aftermath of the pandemic, the Trash Pandas survived and will open their first season with a six-game set at the Chattanooga Lookouts May 4-9.

An affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, Rocket City will host its first series at the 7,000-seat Toyota Field in Madison against the Tennessee Smokies for a six-game set May 11-16.

Ralph Nelson, the team’s president and CEO, found positives in last season’s cancellation.

“We came out of the pandemic stronger,’’ he said. “We had to pivot on who we were and become an events and entertainment organization as opposed to just a baseball organization. Many of the events we held would have occurred during the season when the Trash Pandas were out of town but became more essential as we looked for ways to drive revenue.

“We found out what worked and what didn’t. In the end, we will learn from this experience and become a better organization for it.’’

In the revamped Minor League Baseball system, the Trash Pandas, who originally joined as a member of the Southern League, are now in the Double-A South with Birmingham, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Biloxi, Pensacola, Montgomery and Mississippi.

“We are excited to finally bring what North Alabama has been missing since 2015, and that is affiliated minor league baseball,’’ Nelson said. “Through the location of the stadium, the name the team contest, the building of Toyota Field, and the horrible pandemic, our fans have been with us through thick and thin.

“We are eternally grateful for their support. They are going to be treated to a first-class experience from our staff as the Angels organization provides us with their top farm hands for the next decade. Now that Opening Day was delayed for a year, I can only imagine it has increased the fans’ excitement even more so. I know it has for me.’’

In addition to scheduling six-game clashes to cut down on travel, Major League Baseball made a defensive positioning rule for Double-A. The new rule states:

“The defensive team must have a minimum of four players on the infield, each of whom must have both feet completely in front of the outer boundary of the infield dirt. Depending on the preliminary results of this experimental rule change, MLB may require two infielders to be positioned entirely on each side of second base in the second half of the Double-A season. These restrictions on defensive positioning are intended to increase the batting average on balls in play.’’

Trash Pandas Manager Jay Bell: “It’s been a long year and they’re looking forward to getting on spikes and dirt again.’’

Whatever the schedule and rules Jay Bell, an 18-year MLB veteran and the Trash Pandas manager, said coaches and players are eager to return after spring training was halted after a short period of time last year. Then, the Minor League season was canceled.

Minor league camp will begin this week and the Trash Pandas will have a 120-game season – 60 home games; 60 on the road.

“The guys are looking forward to getting started again,’’ Bell said. “I mean, it’s been a long year and they’re looking forward to getting on spikes and dirt again.’’

Bell has a “preliminary list’’ of players who will be in the Double-A camp but said “I’m not really familiar with some of the guys that are coming. We’re hoping that everything goes smooth during spring training.’’

MLB is going to use “alternative sites’’ as it did last year where they can draw players from to join the big league team. The Triple-A season is also delayed until May so teams can stock the sites.

Meanwhile, Bell said the focus will be on moving beyond the pandemic.

“You know what we can do now is just look forward to the future,’’ he said. “You know, kind of a golf analogy. You know, that was one of the things I learned a long time ago from some friends that I played golf with.

“Their thought process was, ‘We always take one shot at the time.’ That’s how it is for us now. You know, you go one day at a time. We’re not guaranteed tomorrow anyway, so you might as well enjoy the day.’’