Angels Top Prospect Pitcher Finally Making Return After a Month Out With Fatigue

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Caden Dana is set to return after missing a month of action due to fatigue issues.

According to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, Dana is coming back to the Triple-A rotation this week for a scheduled start.

At 21 years old, the Angels prioritized giving their young arm some rest instead of pushing him down in the minor leagues.

Los Angeles took him in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, and he has quickly shot up the team's farm system, becoming the team's top pitching prospect in the system.

The right-hander pitched six innings in the major leagues this season, making two appearances before getting sent down to the minor leagues again.

He threw 119 pitches in those outings, giving up five runs — two of which came via homers — seven total hits, and five walks. He managed to get six strikeouts, but Dana looked unprepared for the moment that he stepped into.

In the minor leagues, he hasn't fared much better. He has a 6.23 ERA in 11 starts, netting 51 strikeouts to 28 walks.

Given his young age and lackluster performances, he might end up staying in the minor leagues unless he starts to pick things up.

Dana falls into the same unfortunate category of pitching prospects that the Angels have which are worked up quickly through the farm system to provide immediate relief.

Luckily, Dana has time to grow and develop over the next few years and could become a potential success in Angels' pitching development, which has been few and far between.