ANAHEIM -- The Angels will sport a slightly different look when they take on the Astros on Friday night, opening the inaugural Players Weekend at Angel Stadium.

The event, which MLB and the MLB Players Association have teamed up to launch this season, will allow players to wear colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs. They will also have the opportunity to show more personality by wearing nicknames on the back of their jerseys. Players will also wear special tribute patches on their sleeves, where they have the option of thanking a person who has helped them over the course of their career.

• Players Weekend gear available at MLBShop.com

Here's a breakdown of the Angels' nicknames and tribute patches for Players Weekend:

Andrelton Simmons : "Simón"

He couldn't use his well-known nickname "Simba" due to copyright concerns, so he decided to use "Simón," which he was called as a kid in his native Curacao.

Tribute patch: "Mom and Dad"

"They're my biggest fans," Simmons said.

Parker Bridwell : "PBrid"

His nickname started with friends in high school and eventually just stuck.

Tribute patch: "Hereford"

Bridwell will pay tribute to the small town in Texas where he grew up.

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Michael Trout : "Kiiiiid"

Trout's nickname sprang from clubhouse banter. Teammates tend to elongate the middle of the word when they use it.

Kole Calhoun : "Koleman"

One of Calhoun's coaches at Yavapai Junior College (Prescott, Ariz.) called him "Koleman," a nickname that's occasionally been picked up by teammates.

Tribute patch: "West End Little League"

Calhoun will commemorate the organization where he grew up playing baseball in Tolleson, Ariz.

Luis Valbuena : "Mono"

Teammates have always called Valbuena "Mono," which means monkey in Spanish. He said the nickname brings back fond memories of the beginning of his career.

Tribute patch: "Family"

Valbuena will thank all the relatives that have supported him throughout his career, especially his kids and his grandparents.

Jose Pujols : "The Machine"

He earned the nickname from fans because of his consistent offensive production during his prime in St. Louis. "The Machine" even appeared in a popular SportsCenter commercial.

C.J. Cron: "Crony"

Like many players, Cron's nickname is a variation of his last name.

Ben Revere : "Revy"

After being drafted by the Twins in 2007, Revere's teammates called him "Rev" -- short for reverend -- because he was always reading the Bible. The organization's Minor League director eventually modified it to "Revy."

Tribute patch: "Jesus"

"If it wasn't for Jesus, I wouldn't be here," Revere said.

Jefry Marte : "El Bley"

Marte's family in the Dominican Republic has called him "El Bley" since he was a little boy.

Ricky Nolasco: "Tricky"

His moniker is a play off his first name and used by some of his friends. Nolasco admitted it wasn't his first choice, but he decided to go with it at the suggestion of equipment manager Keith Tarter.

Richard Parker : "B-Easy"

Parker's nickname dates back to his high school football days in Fayetteville, Ark. "It's kind of a back home thing," Parker said.

Tribute patch: "Jesus and Mom and Dad"

Echoing Revere, Parker said, "Without them, I wouldn't be here."

Keynan Middleton : "Major Key"

A fan of rap music, Middleton's nickname is the title of one of DJ Khaled's albums. Middleton decided to use it as his Twitter handle, prompting many supporters to refer to him as "Major Key" at ballparks.

Tribute patch: "Milwaukie"

Like Bridwell, Middleton will pay tribute to his hometown in Oregon.

Kaleb Cowart : "Pal"

Cowart credits former Angels catcher Jett Bandy for giving him his nickname when the two played together in rookie ball in 2011.

Tribute patch: "Mom and Dad"

Cowart will thank his parents for their unwavering support during his career.

Yusmeiro Petit : "Yus"

When he came to the United States from Venezuela, people started calling him "Yus," because it was easier to pronounce than his full first name.

Tribute patch: "Alberto"

Petit will thank his father, who he said gave him the strength and support to continue to chase his baseball dream in the United States.

Cam Bedrosian : "Bedrock"

The nickname originally belonged to his father, Cy Young Award-winning closer Steve Bedrosian, but it was passed on to the younger Bedrosian when he started playing baseball.

Tribute patch: "Jesus and family"

Bedrosian will honor his faith and his family for helping guide him throughout his career.

Matthew Shoemaker : "Shoe"

Like many players, his nickname is a variation of his last name that is frequently used by teammates and coaches.

Martin Maldonado : "Cascajo"

He wasn't allowed to use "Machete," so Maldonado decided to honor his father's side of the family by putting "Cascajo" on the back of his jersey. The nickname was given to both his father and grandfather in his native Puerto Rico.

Tribute patch: "Mom and Edgar Perez"

Maldonado will thank his mom and Perez, a scout who helped get him signed and continued to support him throughout his career.

Andrew Heaney : "Heandog"

His college roommates gave him the nickname during his freshman year at Oklahoma State, and it stuck, eventually becoming a part of his Twitter handle.

Tyler Skaggs : "Swaggy"

Skaggs is a fan of the Lakers, so his teammates based his nickname on former Los Angeles guard Nick Young's "Swaggy P" moniker.

Tribute patch: "Parents and grandfathers" Skaggs will pay tribute to his family, particularly his grandfathers, who have both passed away in the last three months.

Cliff Pennington: "Penny"

Like many players, his nickname is a variation of his last name that is used by many teammates and coaches.

Tribute patch: "Family"

Pennington will thank his family for supporting him throughout his career.

Huston Street : "Larrry"

Street said he has coincidentally been let down by several Larrys in his life, so when he started missing lunches with his friend, Hanford Francis Farrell III, in Austin, Farrell advised him to "not be a Larry." It became a bit of a running joke between the two and came to mean someone who is unreliable in an ironic way.

Jesse Chavez : "Flaco"

Dave Chavarria, Chavez's former pitching coach in the Rangers' organization, gave him his nickname because of his lean frame. "Flaco" means skinny in Spanish.

Tribute patch: "Fontana"

Chavez is a graduate of A.B. Miller High School in Fontana, Calif., which is located 45 miles from Angel Stadium.

JC Ramirez: "Cubanito"

A coach in Nicaragua gave Ramirez his nickname in reference to his Cuban father.

Juan Graterol : "El Grate"

Like many players, his nickname is a variation of his last name.

Mike Scioscia: "Sosh"

Like many coaches and players, his nickname is a variation of his last name.

Tribute patch: "Mom and Dad"

"That's where it starts," he said. Scioscia's mother was a teacher, so during his childhood summers, she would often drive him all over Pennsylvania so he could play baseball.

Maria Guardado covers the Angels for MLB.com.