Davis Daniel Bio
Robert Davis Daniel, known as Davis Daniel, is an American professional baseball pitcher. Born on June 11, 1997, he has pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves, and he is currently a free agent. Selected in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels, Daniel reached the major leagues in 2022 and has continued to work his way back from injuries. He attended Auburn University, where he built a reputation as a hard-throwing right-hander before his career was briefly interrupted by Tommy John surgery.
Daniel has spent his professional career moving through the minor league ranks and contributing at the MLB level when healthy. His journey has included time with the Tri-City Dust Devils, Rocket City Trash Pandas, and Salt Lake Bees in the Angels system, and the Gwinnett Stripers in the Braves organization. As a free agent, Daniel remains available to sign with a new club and continue his pursuit of a sustained role in the majors.
Early Life and Background
Robert Davis Daniel was born on June 11, 1997, and grew up in Montgomery, Alabama. He attended Saint James School, where he developed into a top high school pitching prospect. During his time at Saint James, Daniel established himself as a strikeout artist, drawing attention from professional scouts before he had finished his senior year.
As a sophomore at Saint James, Daniel committed to play college baseball at North Carolina State University. He later changed his commitment and ultimately signed with Auburn University, setting the course for his college career. In 2016, his senior season, he went 11–1 with a 0.70 earned run average and 137 strikeouts over seventy innings, a dominant year that pushed him onto the national radar. The Chicago Cubs selected him in the 34th round of the 2016 MLB Draft, but he did not sign and instead enrolled at Auburn.
Path to Baseball
At Auburn, Daniel quickly worked his way into the Tigers’ starting rotation. In 2017, as a freshman, he appeared in 17 games with 16 starts, going 4–3 with a 5.89 ERA over 70 1/3 innings. The next season, he struck out seventy batters in 66 2/3 innings while pitching to a 4.86 ERA. Following the 2018 college season, the Milwaukee Brewers chose him in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, but he again opted to remain at Auburn.
Daniel also sharpened his game with collegiate summer baseball, playing for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2017 and the Chatham Anglers in 2018. As a junior in 2019, he was Auburn’s Opening Night starter and pitched two innings before leaving the game with an arm injury. The injury required Tommy John surgery, ending his 2019 season and pushing his professional timeline back by roughly a year.
Davis Daniel Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
The Los Angeles Angels drafted Daniel in the seventh round, with the 211th overall pick, of the 2019 MLB Draft, and he signed with the organization. He did not pitch in 2019 following the signing, and the 2020 minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He finally made his professional debut in 2021, climbing through the Angels’ system from High-A to Triple-A.
In 2021, Daniel pitched for the Tri-City Dust Devils of the High-A West, the Rocket City Trash Pandas of the Double-A South, and the Salt Lake Bees of the Triple-A West. Over 23 appearances and 22 starts, he went 4–7 with a 3.92 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 114 2/3 innings, an impressive workload for a pitcher coming back from Tommy John surgery. He returned to Salt Lake to begin the 2022 season.
Los Angeles Angels (2022–2024)
On June 11, 2022, the Angels selected Daniel’s contract and promoted him to the major leagues. He was optioned back to Salt Lake two days later without making an MLB appearance, and he spent the rest of the season in the minors. With Salt Lake in 2022, he went 6–7 with a 4.49 ERA and 83 strikeouts over 102 1/3 innings.
Daniel’s first full major league opportunity came in 2023, but a right shoulder strain landed him on the 60-day injured list in February. He was activated on August 31 and optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. In 2024, he made six starts for the Angels and struggled to a 1–4 record with a 6.23 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings. The Angels designated him for assignment on December 18, 2024, after acquiring Chuckie Robinson.
Atlanta Braves (2024–2025)
On December 20, 2024, the Braves acquired Daniel in a trade for Mitch Farris. He was optioned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers to open the 2025 season. In three appearances and two starts for Atlanta, Daniel went 0–1 with a 5.40 ERA and nine strikeouts over ten innings of work.
On August 16, 2025, the Braves removed Daniel from the 40-man roster and outrighted him to Triple-A Gwinnett. Following the season, on November 6, he elected free agency, returning to the open market as he looks for his next opportunity.
Notable Events and Milestones
Daniel’s career has been defined by perseverance through injuries and roster moves. After missing his first professional season because of Tommy John surgery, he reached Triple-A in his first full year back and struck out 154 batters in 2021. He was called up to the major leagues on his birthday in 2022, and he was part of a December 2024 trade to the Atlanta Braves that gave him a fresh start in a new organization.
Davis Daniel Family
Personal Life
Davis Daniel was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, where he attended Saint James School and developed into a top college pitching prospect. Public information about his personal and family life is limited, and he is not publicly known to be married. He continues to focus on his professional baseball career as a free agent.
2025 Season Performance
Daniel began the 2025 season in the Atlanta Braves organization, optioned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. He earned three MLB appearances and two starts with Atlanta, logging ten innings and striking out nine batters while going 0–1 with a 5.40 ERA. The stint offered him a brief opportunity to show what he could do at the major league level in a new system.
On August 16, 2025, the Braves removed Daniel from the 40-man roster and assigned him outright to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he finished the season in the bullpen and rotation. Following the end of the year, he elected free agency on November 6, opening the door for a new deal with a club in need of experienced right-handed depth. His 2025 campaign was a transitional year that positioned him for his next opportunity on the open market.