Toyota Field

• Year built: 2020

• Primary tenant: Rocket City Trash Pandas

• Capacity: 7,500

• Date Visited: March 9th, 2022

Toyota Field is one of the newer ballparks in the minor leagues, and it shows. It has many modern amenities; more than I can tell in words, in fact.

Possibly one of the least modern aspects of this ballpark would be the parking situation. This photo shows just part of the thousands of parking spots right next to the stadium. Many people prefer stadiums located in downtown of a given city as opposed to stadiums located on the outskirts of town, right off a highway exit. This stadium is the latter, but I actually like that. Being outside downtown leaves plenty of room for parking, which makes the whole situation way easier on everybody.

Now back to modernity, these giant baseballs line the main gate of the stadium. These probably didn't require a lot of smart people to come up with, but they're still pretty cool.

This is the gate to Toyota Field, or at least the main gate. there is another one that a lot of people don't know about.

Behold, the left field gate at Toyota Field. It doesn't have a name, unlike the Pepsi Gate, or any fancy signage, or anything that makes it stand out. No wonder most people don't know about it.

This is what you see as soon as you walk into the stadium. Below is the berm, where, for just $8, you can get a great view of the whole field.

Here's a better view of the berm. It looks pretty ugly right now, but that's just the byproduct of the fact that it was early March, and there had been two days worth of rain before the game.

Like the berm, the Rock Porch is covered in a general admission ticket. There are plenty of good seats with an even better view. Just make sure you get here early, because the seats on the Rock Porch fill up quickly during games.

One of the quirks you can find around the rock porch is the right field foul pole. In what minor league stadium can you get this close to the foul pole?

In order to prevent the Rock Porch's overhang from interfering with the field of play, the wall juts out a few feet from the base of the Rock Porch.

I'm not exactly sure what this area is supposed to be here for. It looks like dirt, but it's closer to a small, pebble like substance, which is used in warning tracks in most professional baseball fields.

The batter's eye, which is prevalent in most high level stadiums, isn't really much to talk about. It's big, it's dark green, and that's all I can say about it.

Thankfully, they have made somewhat of an effort to spruce things up. The Trash Pandas have both of their retired numbers on display. The first one, number 42, was retired in honor of Jackie Robinson across all of Major and Minor League Baseball as of April 15th, 1997. The second number, number 5 has been retired to honor Don Mincher. A Huntsville native, Mincher had a lengthy MLB career, but it's what he took part in after his playing days which made him so noteworthy. In 1985, Mincher became the first president and general manager of the Huntsville Stars until 2001, when he became president of the entire Southern League until his retirement after the 2011 season.

You can get close to dead center field in this stadium, which I suppose isn't necessary, but is still pretty cool.

As you move into left field, the wall takes many sharp turns. Also, like many minor league stadiums, the walls are covered in advertisements for local companies and businesses.

The stuff I said earlier is the same for right field. I do enjoy this quirk, in fact. I think it adds a nice touch to the stadium.

Moving into left field, we come across this open area, which, during Trash Pandas games, contains various food trucks, which aren't shown here. This would likely be your best bet when it comes to catching a home run.

One of the great things about the left field area is that it allows you to get close to the bullpens, while also getting a great view of the game.

If you're ever a fan of the visiting team, well, don't worry. The designers of Toyota Field didn't leave you out if that's your situation. Another thing I must add; unlike the right field foul pole, you should not try to touch the left field pole, unless you're not afraid to fall into the bullpen or onto the field.

This elevator looks like it leads to nowhere, and you would be right. It's part of the stadium's original plans, which included a restaurant in left field, similar to the Atlanta Braves Chop House.

Now that we've been through the entire outfield, we can move into the infield sections. The first of which is this picnic patio. With over fifty tables, this area is perfect for a group of any size that wants a great view of the game.

All Stars is one of four main concession stands in the stadium. Each stand serves all the ballpark classics, but they also serve specialty items respective to each concession stand.

Right next to All Stars is a side view of the Party Deck. You can have up to ninety guests in the Party Deck for a game, and you can also have a great vantage point over the whole field.

Across from All Stars is a canopy, in which they serve an all you can eat buffet, which comes complimentary with any suite, the Party Deck, or the picnic patio.

The main concourse is wide, but can still get a bit crowded during games with high attendance figures.

What you're looking right now is one of the concourse suites. There are four in total; two of each down both baselines, which can seat up to thirty-five people.

This is likely the most unique thing about this stadium. The batting cages are located on the concourse level, which means that fans can watch their favorite Trash Pandas players take some swings before the game.

Now that we've made our way around the stadium, we can talk about various seating options throughout the stadium. The four-tops, which you see above, are great seats with a great view, that is, if you can get your hands on them. All of these seats are taken by season ticket holders, so chances are you won't have an opportunity to sit here during a game.

The Legacy Seats are usually occupied by season ticket holders, but a couple are on sale for individual games. For $25, you get a great view from behind home plate. You also get high top chairs, which are very comfortable. They also offer in-seat delivery service for these seats. As somebody who has had the opportunity to sit in these seats, I would definitely recommend them.

This is what the standard seating looks like. Gray might seem like a boring color choice for the seats, but they're still more original than the typical dark green seats you can find at many stadiums. All standard seats are $16, which is a good deal, considering that most of the seats are close to the field.

The best seats in the house are these home plate seats. Like the name suggests, these seats are the ones closest to home plate. For $50, the price is steep, but you can get closer to all the action than anyone else. Not to mention, the seats are padded, which makes for an even more comfortable experience.

Overall, I think this is a very nice stadium. It has all the amenities you could ask for. The food is good, the seating is comfortable, and the overall atmosphere is a whole lot of fun. Now, you may be asking when you can enjoy a Trash Pandas game at Toyota Field. Thankfully, pretty soon. Their second ever home opener will be this April 12th against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. I hope to see you there!