The Los Angeles Angels enter the 2025 season with many question marks in their starting rotation. Caden Dana hopes to provide one of the answers.
First, the 21-year-old will have to perform well in spring training. Based on his 2024 results, that could come easily or be a far-fetched dream. After an impressive season at Double-A and fine big-league debut, the right-hander was pounded in two more MLB starts. Pounded hard.
It is not too surprising that Dana has put up disparate results. He went from high school to the majors in 26 months. That’s a lot of learning in a short time.
Dana was selected in the 11th round in 2022 out of Don Bosco Prep High School in New Jersey. Other teams shied away, thinking he was going to pitch college ball at Kentucky. The Angels paid him second-round type money, $1,497,500, to turn pro.
In three brief outings for the Angels’ team in the Arizona Complex League right after being drafted, Dana gave up 1 run (1.35 ERA) and no walks while striking out 6. Moved up to Low A Inland Empire, he was rocked for 5 runs over a start that lasted just 1 2/3 innings for an ERA of 27.00. Two small samples, but a portent of things to come.
In 2023, Dana had a 1.20 ERA in three short starts at Inland Empire, fanning 18 over 15 innings. Promoted to High-A Tri-City in the Northwest League, he had a 4.22 ERA in 11 starts – though he did strike out 71 in 53 1/3 innings.
Dana won his MLB debut on Sept. 1 against the Seattle Mariners, 3-2. He gave up 2 hits, 2 runs and 4 walks over 6 innings, fanning four. Luke Raley hit a homer; the other Seattle run came on a sacrifice fly by Victor Robles. Raley, Robles, slugger Cal Raleigh and former all-star Randy Arozarena were strikeout victims.
All looked great until seven days later. Dana gave up 7 hits and 5 runs without getting an out in the second inning at Texas. Marcus Semien hit a leadoff homer in the first and Nathaniel Lowe a two-run blast later in the inning. Ezequiel Duran opened the second with another homer, followed by three straight singles.
Washington did not mince words after that outing. “Today, they jumped on him right away,” he told Dave Sessions of MLB.com. “Marcus led off with the home run, and then it was, ‘pow, pow, pow!’ after that. … It just wasn’t his day.
“Anytime you’re playing baseball at the Major League level, you’re auditioning, and it’s also a learning experience. All I want them to do is play baseball and understand the game. The things they don’t understand, we’re going to help them understand. But there’s certain skill sets that they have, and I expect them to bring that skill set here. … You gain experience by being up here, but you have to bring your skill set. You just can’t come up here and be a blind man.”
Dana told Sessions he was prepared but did not perform. “I think I threw the right pitches, it’s just about executing them,” he said. “Leaving stuff over the middle. It happened too many times.”
Back home seven days later against Houston, he gave up 5 hits and 5 runs (4 earned) over 3 1/3 innings. That put his MLB ERA at 9.58 and Dana on the bench,