Salt Lake Bees George Klassen named PCL Pitcher of the Month
Aug 5, 2026, 5:30 PM
Salt Lake Bees starting pitcher George Klassen was named PCL Pitcher of the Month for July. (Photo courtesy Salt Lake Bees)
(Photo courtesy Salt Lake Bees)
SOUTH JORDAN, Utah – George Klassen went 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA across six July starts for the Salt Lake Bees, earning Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month honors.
Ranked No. 10 on MLB.com’s Los Angeles Angels Top 30 prospects list, Klassen led the PCL in innings pitched (36 1/3), strikeouts (38), WHIP (0.99) and opponent batting average (.197). His 38 strikeouts were 12 more than any other pitcher in the league during the month.
RELATED: Bees sweep PCL weekly awards for first time since 2024
George Klassen owned the month of July 💪
Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month⁰🔥 3-0 | 2.48 ERA⁰👊 38 K (led the PCL)⁰📈 0.99 WHIP⁰⚾️ Five quality starts pic.twitter.com/mOVW1fsyiY
— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) August 5, 2026
The dominant stretch marks a significant step forward for the right-hander, who earned a brief call-up to the majors in April but struggled in two starts — allowing six earned runs and issuing 10 walks in 4 2/3 innings.
Klassen’s July surge, particularly a walk-free finish, signals the kind of command refinement that could put him back on a big league mound before the season’s end.
He twice set career highs in strikeouts, recording nine against Las Vegas on July 1 before fanning 11 against Reno on July 19 — the first double-digit strikeout game by a Salt Lake pitcher this season.
Perhaps the most telling sign of progress: Klassen did not issue a walk over his final 12 2/3 innings, covering his last two starts of the month.
It is the second time Klassen has earned recognition this season. He was named PCL Pitcher of the Week for June 30-July 5.
Who is George Klassen?
The Philadelphia Phillies drafted George Klassen in the sixth round (193rd overall) of the 2023 MLB draft out of Minnesota.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound right-hander made his professional debut in 2024, posting a 0.71 ERA and 0.87 WHIP while striking out 57 in 38 innings with Single-A Clearwater — earning both a midseason promotion to High-A Jersey Shore and a Florida State League postseason All-Star nod. With the BlueClaws, he made five starts, striking out 32 in 21 1/3 innings with a 4.22 ERA.
He was traded to the Angels near the 2024 trade deadline in a deal that included LHP Samuel Aldegheri in exchange for starting pitcher Carlos Estévez.
Take a bow, George Klassen.
6.2 IP | 7 H | 2 ER | 0 BB | 7 K pic.twitter.com/3rFI7ko9TV
— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) July 26, 2026
Klassen pitched for four teams across two organizations in his first professional season, finishing with a 3.10 ERA and 135 strikeouts against 46 walks in 93 innings.
He opened 2025 with Double-A Rocket City, registering a 5.35 ERA across 24 starts before a late-season promotion to Salt Lake. In his final appearance of the year, he scattered six hits over six innings while striking out eight and walking one.
Through 19 starts this season with Salt Lake, Klassen is 6-6 with a 3.96 ERA, 88 strikeouts and 46 walks.
If July is any indication, the Angels’ investment in Klassen is paying off. The stuff was never in question — it was the command that kept him from sticking in the majors. Over his final two starts of the month, he answered that question emphatically.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
