The Los Angeles Angels have been on wait-and-see mode with Davis Daniel after they placed him on the 60-day injured list in February with a right-shoulder strain.
The former seventh-round pick by the Angels in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft hasn’t returned to the Minor League ranks this season after the club shut him down at the end of the 2022 Triple-A season. In 102.1 innings with Salt Lake, Daniel posted a 4.49 ERA with 83 strikeouts, but struggled with command, walking 32 batters in that stretch.
There was initial hype around the right-hander after he posted a 2.50 ERA, 3.14 FIP with a .191 batting average allowed in his first taste of Minor League action between High-A and Double-A in the 2021 season.
He’s since struggled following his promotion to Triple-A, carrying a 5.47 ERA in 123.1 combined innings with the Bees. There hasn’t been much reported on him since being placed on the IL, but according to Jeff Fletcher of The O.C. Register, manager Phil Nevin revealed he’s making small steps:
Right-hander Davis Daniel (right shoulder strain) has been on the injured list since early in spring training, but he has begun throwing, Nevin said.
Because there’s been such little reported on his progress, it’s safe to assume there’s been a fair amount of caution to avoid significant injury. The long layoff is also another indicator he won’t be in conversations to give the Bees much time for at least a bit of time, as well:
He is still “a long way away,” Nevin said.
Before the bulk of Spring Training, Nevin hinted at the possibility that Daniel could be an option as the club’s sixth starter. Of course, that was before team doctors didn’t clear the righty to resume throwing, and his absence has grown to a large period of time.
What to expect from Davis Daniel upon return
Daniel features a compact delivery with a subtle pitch-mix highlighted by a low-to-mid 90s four-seam fastball, changeup and a slider, which he really worked on once he reached Double-A.
He mostly projects as a reliever for the Angels because of his limited mix and lack of multiple plus-pitches.
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