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
Senior Reporter Rhett Bollinger covers the Angels for MLB.com. He previously covered the Twins from 2011-18.
Scouting grades: Hit: 70 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 65
Max Clark’s below-slot deal as the third overall pick in 2023 allowed the Tigers to get aggressive, select McGonigle No. 37 overall and sign him for above slot at $2,847,500. The Pennsylvania native has seen some injuries -- a fractured right hamate in 2024, a right ankle sprain early in 2025 -- but has absolutely mashed everywhere since going pro. He split last season between High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie (with some rehab time sprinkled in) and hit .305/.408/.583 with 19 homers, 59 walks and 46 strikeouts in 88 games. He made up for the lost time in the Arizona Fall League, where he earned MVP honors by producing a .362 average, a 1.210 OPS and a 12/19 K/BB ratio across 90 plate appearances.
McGonigle is arguably the best hitting prospect of the 2020s so far. He combines the right amount of plate discipline with aggression on pitches he can drive, and he pounds balls in the air and to all fields, with a specific aptitude for pulled shots. Standing 5-foot-10 on the left side of the box, he can look like a coil ready to spring, making him a menace on inside pitches, but he can move the bat around well enough to protect all parts of the plate. His increased strength and quality of angles push his power projection into plus territory.
The former Auburn recruit can get moving out of the box, though he was more of a steals threat before the ankle injury. His defense was a priority in the Fall League, where he also saw time at third. His footwork is stretched at the six, and while Gleyber Torres’ presence complicates matters in Detroit, McGonigle still might fit best at second base long-term. No matter where he lands, he has the ceiling of a multi-time batting champion.