The Angels agreed to terms with first-round pick Sam Bachman on a signing bonus worth $3,847,500 million on Wednesday, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis. The club has not officially announced the signing.
The deal is under slot, as the No. 9 selection in the 2021 Draft carried a slot value of $4,949,100. It allows the Angels to spend roughly a $1 million to sign players above the recommended slot bonus. The club set a record by drafting 20 pitchers and 19 of them were college arms. The Angels now have more money to sign their lone prep arm -- left-hander Mason Albright from IMG Academy in Florida -- as he has a commitment to Virginia Tech.
Bachman, 21, went 4-4 with a 1.81 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings over 12 starts as a junior this year at Miami (Ohio). He has big-time velocity with a fastball that has reached 101 mph to go along with an above-average slider and changeup.
"It's a really dynamic pitch package that plays off of itself and the weapons are really impressive,” Angels scouting director Matt Swanson said after Bachman was drafted. “And what's really impressive is his ground-ball rate. He's not just a pure power pitcher; he has a lot of finesse and grace that goes with it."
The Angels view Bachman as a starter long term, but many experts believe he could reach the Majors as soon as this season if they decide to use him in relief initially. The club has yet to announce which level he’ll start at once he’s officially signed.