less than 1% of high school baseball players actually get to live out their dream and make it to the big leads but this rookie turned heads of MLB recruiters early and continues to make a name for himself one start at a time his name is Kaden Dana he's the Rocket City trash Pan's 20-year-old right-handed pitcher who just so happens to be the Los Angeles Angels top prospect but it wasn't all that long ago that he was just a bad boy from Warwick New York third Bas for number 12 Kaden d well since we're starting from day one I was always the bat boy for my brother um Brothers they all they play for the team called generals my dad put together and um so from day one it was just chasing bats chasing balls and then obviously when I was old enough to start hitting up a tea playing te- ball um I just fell in love with it right away and obviously they're just the biggest role models for me and it was that just kept me in love with the game and by High School Kaden's presence on the mound started to gain recognition and it wasn't just division one schools that were calling I'm sure you started hearing a whole lot of Buzz about the possibility of you becoming a professional baseball player but when did it really click in your mind that this was something you could do as your job um so I would say I say probably sophomore going into junior year um sophomore year I committed to Kentucky so I was pretty early for uh you know for high school but um I was excited and you know I kind of feel like I was on top of the world when I committed and then things starting to speed up Scouts started to come to the games like MLB Scouts and then more and more started showing up then I started you know having meetings and answering questions and then the whole process started to become real and uh then by senior year it was I knew I was going to have a decision to make now at the Midway point of the Season Kaden's numbers speak for themselves topping the charts amongst all minor league starters in nearly every pitching statistic when you hear stuff like that what is what does that mean to you that just means that you know I'm on the right path for me um just got to keep doing what I'm doing and just got to keep trusting the process to be honest it's just means I'm doing the right stuff let's keep going in baseball every play starts with the pitcher it's a position that takes skill precision and above all else mental toughness and kayen Dana's composure on the mound at just 20 years old is unmatched in part two we discuss how that mental side of taking the mound is what drives him you know once upon a time I took the mound myself such a mental game that it is what is it that you love about that was always what I loved about the game that kind of battle of wits you know with the between the pitcher and the and the batter but what is it that you love about pitching you hit the spot it's absolutely mental um that one being mentally strong enough to take the mount every time and you know put your give your team a chance to win um I think that just that pressure itself is why we do it just like the adrenaline knowing that like you are in control of the outcome right now like you're you're the last person to touch the ball so it's like that right there um I think that's why we do it l his first year in doua baseball Dana has proven that the pressure isn't too much in fact he's thrived I think strikes me the most he takes everything in stride he takes the failures in stride but he takes the success in stride too and that's I think that's the biggest key uh for him maintaining the level headedness that he's been able to maintain we'll ask any pitcher and they'll tell you they want the ball and Kaden he's no different this season he's gone deep into the ball games that he starts a goal that he set for himself during winter meetings the thesis of the meetings were more like talking about going deeper into games and you know trying to get that extra two innings out out of you and trying to give your team a better chance to win so it's that I stuck that stuck with me and I kind of carried that into the season um just trying to get my mind you know obviously we said it's the me mental part of the pitching and trying to get my mind ready for that um trying to get to the sixth seventh eighth inning and uh yeah that's like you said Difference Maker between last year and this year that's probably been the biggest one but after all he is still a rookie and he gets a chance to improve his game at this level as he strives to reach the show but the things he's learned at his stop here in the Rocket City he'll take with him all the way hunsville is a great place uh almost reminds me of home a little bit and so it's really easy to just be where my feet are and enjoy where I'm at right now taking it one day at a time one game at a time and um that's what that's Huntsville has been helping me keep that that mindset Kaden Dana has since earned a spot on this year's Futures game roster where he'll get a chance to further prove himself against the Nations top prospects on all-star weekend we'll have more on that coming your way very soon but for now camder 48 Sports on your side