Angels Forgotten First Round Pick is Pitching Well in Spring Training

It is pretty easy to identify the Angels last few first round draft picks; primarily because they all played in Anaheim so quickly after getting drafted. Christian Moore, Zach Neto, and Nolan Schanuel are prominent names in the organization. Reid Detmers is often refenced on air as first round pick.

Between Detmers and the recent trio, however, there was a flamethrower from Minnesota drafted ninth overall in 2021. He was the first pitcher to be drafted in the Angels all pitcher draft. His career to this point has been marked more by injuries and inconsistencies than MLB success.

Back to full health, Sam Bachman is throwing well in the Cactus League and the underlying data suggests he's back to full health. At this pace, Bachman looks likely to make the Opening Day roster and help the team shore up a bullpen that has been an Achilles heel in recent years.

Bachman's velocity is back to his pre injury levels.

Scouting reports on Sam Bachman raved about his power fastball and biting slider. Several outlets stated he could likely jump from college straight into a Major League bullpen. The Angels wanted to develop Bachman as a starter and sent him to the minor leagues.

Prior to Bachman's series of injuries, his sinker routinely clocked in at 98 miles per hour and his slider was consistently 89 miles per hour. The bite on his sinker as well as the notable difference in velocity made it his go to pitch for swings and misses.

In the 2026 Cactus League, Bachman's slider has been clocked at 97-99 miles per hour and his slider 88-90. Those are exactly his pre injury readings.

Spring Training is a time full of optimism but in this case the data says Bachman is back.

Jul 18, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Sam Bachman (40) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

His Cactus League numbers are worthy of a bullpen spot.

So far in the Cactus League Bachman has pitched in three games. He's gone three and two thirds innings without allowing a run.

16 batters have faced Bachman this Spring and 8 have struck out. A 50% strikeout ratio is outstanding at any time of year. And per Baseball-Reference, Bachman has been facing the equivalent of AAA level competition. So he's not facing the elite but he is facing quality talent.

Walks are a bit of a concern as Bachman has issued four free passes. He's also still fine tuning his command which is very normal for pitchers as they ramp up for the regular season.

Bachman could be a real boost to the Angels bullpen.

Nobody spends a top ten draft pick hoping for a reliever, but at this point the Angels will gladly take whatever production he can provide. The bullpen is loaded with veterans but could use some youth and upside.

If Bachman can be in the mix with guys like Drew Pomeranz and Kirby Yates setting up the presumably healthy Robert Stephenson, that gives manager Kurt Suzuki options. With Bachman's swing and miss stuff and his slider he would be a great option to bring in with men on base. Strikeouts and ground balls kill rallies.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian rebuilt the Angels bullpen using free agency, but his first ever draft pick looks like he could be a major help in 2026.