OXFORD, Ohio — One of the best collegiate pitchers in the country is headed to "The Show."

What You Need To Know

  • Pitcher Sam Bachman was drafted No. 9 overall by the Los Angeles Angels

  • He’s the highest drafted player in Miami University history

  • He’s excited and ready to get to work with the Angels

  • His family, friends, coaches and mentors all celebrated with him on draft day 

For Miami University star pitcher Sam Bachman, this is a moment he will never forget. 

Surrounded by his family, friends and coaches, Bachman was drafted ninth overall by the Angels. 

“I cried for sure,” Bachman said. “It hit me really hard. I’m just very grateful and I’m blessed. I’m just ready to get to work.” 

Bachman throws faster than 100 miles per hour. He was named First Team All-Mid American Conference twice. He was also MAC freshman of the year in 2019.  

Now, he’s the first player in Miami Redhawks history to be drafted in the first round and the highest Redhawk to ever be selected. 

“It means everything,” Bachman said. “Just ‘cause I know the first day I stepped on campus even without, I didn’t have a scholarship offer yet. I was just stepping on campus with the coaches and really seeing the campus I could just tell that they were fully invested and this was going to be the place for me.”

Miami baseball Head Coach Danny Hayden is incredibly proud and happy for his star pitcher.  

“Sam’s is, he’s just incredible,” Hayden said. “I mean he really is as talented and disciplined and hard-working a baseball player as you’ll find."

But Bachman’s journey to this moment wasn't always smooth.

“Sam didn’t take the easy path to get here,” Hayden said. “He went through adversity over and over and over again to get here. And that’s what good is all about.” 

Hayden said after the pandemic shortened season, Bachman was projected as a middle round pick. But that wasn’t good enough so he returned to Miami to continue to develop. 

“I think he used that as a separator for himself to go from where he was at that moment, which he was probably a 7th round draft pick by most scouts opinions,” Hayden said. “He used that day and that motivation to take himself to where he is right now.”

Bachman credits Miami’s staff for developing him into the prospect he is today.

“Everyone behind me, there’s a lot of mentors, teammates, coaches, friends, family — people that have really made sacrifices to help me along the way,” Bachman said. “It just means a lot to share with them.”

Now Bachman is focused on the road ahead, playing with and learning from generational MLB stars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout.

“You know, keep my head down and keep working,” Bachman said. “It doesn’t end here. I definitely don’t see the MLB draft as the end goal.”