TEMPE, Ariz. -- Two of the Angels’ top young starting pitchers took big steps on Tuesday, as Tyler Bremner faced hitters in a simulated game for the first time in two weeks and Caden Dana threw his first bullpen session since being diagnosed with mononucleosis in late January.
Bremner, the No 2 overall pick in last year’s Draft and the club’s No. 1 prospect (No. 81 overall) per MLB Pipeline following the 2025 season, has been in big league camp this spring but has yet to appear in a game because he’s been working on his slider. But the right-hander estimated he threw seven or eight in his live session against Nolan Schanuel and Denzer Guzman, and feels like the pitch is coming along.
"I like it right now,” Bremner said. “I feel like it did well today. I got some strikes with it, got some swings with it, never really got hit. I just need to get it down a little bit. I had a few uncompetitive ones.”
Bremner, 21, said he’s still not sure when he’ll appear in a Cactus League game but has enjoyed learning from pitching coach Mike Maddux and other players this spring. Maddux watched Bremner pitch from behind the mound while Alek Manoah and Schanuel took time to give Bremner tips after his session that saw Bremner’s fastball sit around 97 mph.
Bremner’s best pitch is his plus-plus changeup, but Schanuel told him he can’t start it off the plate and have it fade away because big league hitters won’t swing at it. Maddux also gave pointers on how to read the swings of the batters.
“Obviously, I want to get in a game,” Bremner said with a smile. “That's not entirely up to me, but whatever they tell me I'm going to do, I’m going to do it.”
Dana, meanwhile, has been behind the other pitchers in camp, as he’s had to recover after being diagnosed with mononucleosis on Jan. 31. Dana, who graduated from prospect status last year after making three starts in '24 and seven appearances (five starts) in '25, said it caused a fever in early February but that he’s mostly been dealing with fatigue.
Dana, though, said he feels fully recovered and threw a bullpen with all his pitches without any issues. He had been cleared to play catch over the last few weeks and said his arm has been feeling especially fresh.
"It felt unbelievable,” Dana said. “Honestly, it felt like right where I left off. I didn't really think there was like any bumps in the road right there. I also felt really good coming into camp.”
Dana said he was fortunate he didn’t lose any weight during the ordeal and joked he was helped by rooming with Logan O’Hoppe and Ben Joyce, who both have big appetites. They grill steaks almost every night, with Dana noting that he was down only one pound over the last month.
He said he’s still hopeful to pitch in games this spring but that he’ll trust the training staff and their progression for him. Dana, 22, has excelled in the Minors but has a career 7.17 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 14 homers allowed in 42 2/3 innings over the last two seasons.
“I definitely feel on track,” Dana said. “But I don't want to rush this process because I definitely don't want anything bad to happen down the road. I trust the Angels here and I trust their timeline.”
Angels tidbits
- The Angels reassigned seven players to Minor League camp, including hard-throwing relievers Chase Shores and Nate Snead. Shores, the club’s second-round pick in last year’s Draft out of LSU, reached 98.7 mph with his sinker in his lone outing against the Giants. And Snead, the club’s third-rounder out of Tennessee, reached as high as 100.5 mph against the Giants last week. Both impressed and could reach the Majors this season.
- Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, who is coming off having bone spurs removed from his right elbow in August, said he already feels a big difference. “This is the best those two pitches have ever been,” Rodriguez said. “So I've got that going for me. Heater is obviously there. The velocity is there. One big thing for me, and kind of what's been in the past, is working on command."
- Mark Gubicza and Paul Sorrento arrived at camp as guest instructors on Monday, with Tim Salmon also arriving to attend workouts on Tuesday.