Breaking: Angels To Promote Prospect Caden Dana For Sunday Start

Valentina Martinez | Aug 29, 2024

Mar 3, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Caden Dana (91) pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels are calling up top pitching prospect Caden Dana. The 20-year-old is set to make his major league debut versus the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

Source: The Angels are calling up top pitching prospect Caden Dana to make his major league debut with a start vs. Seattle on Sunday.

Dana, 20, has a 2.52 ERA this season at AA.

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) August 29, 2024

Manager Ron Washington hinted earlier this month that the Angels didn't want to rush Dana into the big leagues, which is why the club opted for veteran pitcher Johnny Cueto to make the start against the Kansas City Royals on Aug. 21. Washington also acknowledged that the decision to promote a prospect was above his pay grade.

On Thursday, the Halos finally pulled the trigger. The Angels were slower than usual in calling up their top pitching prospect, but the organization wanted to exercise caution before he took a big league mound.

Dana certainly has an impressive resume for such a young player. The right-hander leads the Double-A Southern League in strikeouts (147), innings pitched (135.2), opponent average (.184) and WHIP (0.94). Dana also ranks second in ERA (2.52) and wins (9).

Dana will become the youngest Angels pitcher since Francisco Rodriguez in 2002. He'll be their youngest starting pitcher since a 20-year-old Frank Tanana took the mound in in 1974.

In wake of Dana's looming arrival to the clubhouse, the Angels will need to make corresponding moves to add him to the roster.

On Monday, Dana retired seven batters through six innings for Double-A Rocket City. He has a 2.52 ERA this season in Double-A.

Dana said that he was throwing with a purpose at the beginning of August, a development that may have helped propel him to the big leagues.

"Feeling good right now," Dana said. "I'm throwing pitches with conviction instead of just throwing them to throw them. There is actually meaning behind what I'm doing."

Dana was an 11th-round pick in 2022, yet he quickly emerged as the prized prospect of the Angels' minor league system.

In July, he made an appearance on the mound at the All-Star Futures Game in Arlington, Texas. He pitched just one frame. Dana gave up one run and posted one strikeout.

General manager Perry Minasian said that the Angels were taking their time in promoting Dana.

“We believe he’s going to be an impactful starter,” Minasian told Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times in July. “We want to make sure he is fully formed.”

While Dana developed, the Halos gave prospect Jack Kochanowicz the first crack at the majors when they recalled him from Double-A in July. He threw three innings and gave up five runs in an 11-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners in his debut. Kochanowicz was the winning pitcher Thursday in Detroit as the Angels snapped their seven-game losing streak.