SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Scouts raved about right-hander Sam Bachman's stuff last spring, with some putting top-of-the-scale 80 grades on a lively fastball that reaches 101 mph and a wipeout slider in the mid-80s. He became the first first-round pick in Miami (Ohio) University history, signing with the Angels for $3,847,500 as the No. 9 overall selection in the 2021 Draft. The Angels eased him into pro ball with five short starts in High-A and will turn him loose this season.

Jim Callis: Sam, you were the No. 9 overall pick in the last year's Draft out of Miami of Ohio. You weren't really on my radar coming out of high school. Did you get much Draft or recruiting interest out of high school? How hard were you throwing back then?

Sam Bachman: I was throwing 86 [mph] as a freshman, 86 as a sophomore and then maybe touching an 87. Then senior year, I got up to 92-93. And I had zero Draft buzz. I was just trying to go to college at that point. I had offers from Lipscomb and Miami of Ohio and I just rolled with Miami.

Callis: That worked out really well for you. When did your stuff make the leap to really get overpowering?

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Bachman: I'd say [there were] two leaps. My freshman year, I dropped my slot, so that was all different. I was getting a lot more movement on my fastball. I used to be over the top, so [it was a] complete 180 there. And then the velo and the stuff started to pick up after the pandemic, which I guess is still going on. It really started picking up during that. I had a private gym I was going to every day. I was starting to eat healthier and cleaner, cut a little bit of fat. It all just started to come together at the perfect time.

Callis: After the college season, we were getting reports you were hitting 97-98 mph in the Grand Park Summer League and then on through the fall. When did you hit 100 for the first time?

Bachman: Second week [of the 2021 season] against [Florida International University]. It was super hot and we're from the Midwest, so it was super cold up there. That was when it happened.

Callis: When did you start noticing the scouts? I know everyone scouts the southern trips, but I assume as the year went on, you started seeing more and more scouts.

Bachman: It definitely started increasing as it got to the end of the fall. And then I remember my first outing, there were 25-30 scouts right next to the bullpen, and I was like, "Whoa." I got a little nervous but after that, I didn't hardly notice. I could notice the big jackets and stuff in the Midwest, they were all back there huddled up. I started to notice that less and less as time went on.

Callis: How much pride do you take in the fact that Miami has produced a lot of big leaguers, I think I counted 13 big league pitchers, Charlie Leibrandt, guys like Adam Eaton and Bill Doran, but you're the first first-round pick out of Miami of Ohio? Did you know that?

Bachman: After the fact, yeah, it's something people mentioned. I think it just goes to show any kid with a dream, it doesn't matter where you start, it matters where you end. I wouldn't have it any other way. I've always had a chip on my shoulder. I'm just glad it worked out with Miami because they took an opportunity on me, took a chance and they were great.

Callis: Right before we started doing this interview, you were doing an interview with MLB Network talking about your experience at the Draft Combine last year. What was that like, the first Draft Combine?

Bachman: It was awesome. Very well put together, very professional. And there were a lot of good guys there, so I was excited to meet some of them, touch base with them and learn a lot from them. It was super smooth. Great experience, definitely helped me a lot and get a good feel for what was next.

Callis: A lot of attention was given to the fact that the Angels drafted 20 pitchers last year, all 20 picks for pitchers. Did you know any of the guys beforehand, met them at the Combine or played summer ball with them?

Bachman: Actually, a lot of them. I met Braden Olthoff at the Combine, saw Andrew Peters there. I don't know if we touched base much but they're both Angels guys. And then Chase Silseth, we played 18U summer ball together a long ways back, so we've known each other for a while. So that was pretty cool.

Callis: You'll probably be with a lot of these guys on your way up to the big leagues.

Bachman: That's the coolest part. We've got a good group of guys, all 20 of them. They all have talent, all competitive, all bring their best stuff. So it's pretty exciting.

Callis: I always like to ask guys to self-scout. If you were breaking down your repertoire, from best to worst, how would you rank your pitches?

Bachman: I think fastball is my No. 1, just something I can always rely on. I think the changeup is coming up on the slider...

Callis: That's not really going to be fair if that's true...

Bachman: No, I'm kidding. To righties, more so the slider and then lefties, more so the changeup. I've always used the slider on lefties in the past, so I'm excited to feed that pitch a little more. I didn't get to in college and I'm excited to show people what it's all about. I've really advanced that pitch.

Callis: With your fastball and slider, you didn't have much occasion to throw the changeup. Are you using the same grip you did in college?

Bachman: I fiddle around with that and targets, where to start it, different targets as far as what count we're in, lefty or righty, how to use it. I've been watching a lot of Luis Castillo, just seeing how he attacks that because his changeup is fricking nasty. He's got that two-seam, so [I like to] see how he attacks guys. I've been doing my research to try and find a good plan of execution this year.

Callis: Besides a changeup, is there anything in particular you're working on or the Angels want you working on?

Bachman: Nothing with the delivery. I've been going four-seam up a lot and that has been pretty nice, getting a lot of swings up there. It's still kind of the two-seam ride but it's not sinking as much. So after you're seeing sinker, sinker, sinker down, play with that fastball up every once in a while. It keeps them honest. So that's been a fun pitch I've been working on.

Callis: That doesn't seem like much fun. Fans are always asking us who guys compare to. Have you heard any good comps for you?

Bachman: Luis Castillo. Apparently, we have similar metrics as far as fastball, changeup. His is way nastier, in my opinion, but just kind of how we use it. Our attack points are very similar. Arm action I think is a little similar too.

Callis: Like you were saying, you study him. Does that make it a little bit easier when you're trying to figure out a changeup, since you guys do have similarities?

Bachman: Exactly. That's kind of the big reason for looking at him, reading guys' swings because pitch selection is going to be the next-best thing for these guys getting to the big leagues. And so that's something I've been studying, reading swings, how he reads them and what pitches he's going with next and stuff like that. So he's helped me kind of come up with a plan based on his stuff. At the end of the day, I'm just going out there competing with my best stuff and conviction