Atlanta Braves acquire former Auburn pitcher in trade with Los Angeles Angels

The Atlanta Braves acquired former Auburn pitcher Davis Daniel in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, the National League team announced.

The Braves swapped minor-league left-hander Mitch Farris for Daniel, a right-hander from Montgomery.

In the 2024 season, Daniel made six starts for the Angels. He posted a 1-4 record and a 6.23 earned-run average. In 30.1 innings, Daniel struck out 28 and walked six.

Daniel spent most of the season with the Salt Lake Bees, the Triple-A affiliate of Los Angeles in the Pacific Coast League. Daniel went 9-7 with a 5.42 ERA in 22 games, with 21 starts, for the Bees. In 118 innings, he struck out 122 and walked 34.

Atlanta seems set at the top of its 2025 rotation with Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach and the eventual return of Spencer Strider from injury. Daniel, who has an option remaining, could join the arms vying for the back-end spots.

Daniel became available when the Angels acquired catcher Chuckie Robinson from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday and designated Daniel for assignment to create a spot on the 40-man roster for their new player.

Daniel was a prep star at Saint James School in Montgomery. The Alabama Sports Writers Association picked Daniel as the state’s Class 4A Pitcher of the Year and made him a Super All-State selection in 2016, when he posted an 11-1 record with an 0.70 ERA, struck out 137 in 70 innings and batted .398.

In three seasons at Auburn, Daniel went 7-7 with a 5.37 ERA. He pitched in 38 games with 28 starts and struck out 135 in 139 innings before leaving the Tigers as a seventh-round draft pick of the Angels.

Daniel’s minor-league stops included nine starts with the Rocket City Trash Pandas in 2021.

Daniel reached the big leagues in 2023, when he made three appearances out of the Angels’ bullpen.