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.