The Los Angeles Angels’ minor league system picked up some hardware Monday night, and it came with a lot more flavor than the usual trophy case entry.
The club’s Triple-A affiliate, the Salt Lake City Bees, won the 2026 MiLB Award for Best New Alternate Identity after turning themselves into the “Dirty Sodas” every Wednesday this season. The idea paid tribute to a Utah staple built around “customizable carbonated beverages,” and the presentation aired on MLB Network.
Benjamin Hill of MLB.com framed the whole thing as the Bees “playing dirty,” and the alternate look leaned into a local tradition with real roots. A dirty soda, as described in the report, is made by adding cream and syrup. In Utah - the Beehive State - the drink has become a recognizable part of the culture.
Hill also noted that the award field included six other nominees, with the Columbus Scrambled Dogs drawing 24 percent of the vote and the Louisville Humidity getting 23 percent.
The Bees’ version of the concept tied into a broader trend in baseball entertainment, one fueled in part by the Savannah Bananas and their offbeat, independent style. MiLB has long had a playful streak of its own, but the bar for novelty keeps getting pushed higher.
There’s also a deeper Utah connection behind the drink itself. According to Hill, the state’s Mormon community helped launch the idea, since the beverage offered an alternative in a faith that prohibits alcohol and hot drinks.
The first dirty soda shop was founded in 2010, and the idea has since grown into a national brand. The Bees embraced that by partnering with a couple of companies, and their home park even has an on-site Swig location.
That partnership showed up in the details, too. The team offered versions of the drink including The Founder, made with Diet Coke, coconut, coconut cream and lime. The weekly games also featured the mascot Swiggy, and Swig drinks were sold for $3.
On the field, Salt Lake City’s season wasn’t nearly as polished as the promotion. The Bees finished 67-81, and their results echoed the big club to some extent. They did contribute to prospect development, though GM John Mozeliak said Monday that the Angels will hire a new farm director from outside the organization.
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