Sam Bachman Working Back To Starter’s Workload In Rocket City

Having been assigned to Rocket City in early June, Sam Bachman returned to the Trash Pandas with major league experience under his belt.

Once a member of the Rocket City rotation from 2022-2023, Bachman appeared in 11 games out of the bullpen for the Angels last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Bachman made a rehab start at Toyota Field on June 13 where he tossed three innings. The righty was then optioned by the Angels to remain in Rocket City where he has continued to work on returning to the show as a starter.

“They picked me to be a starter and that’s been the plan all along was to bring me up, get some experience and see how my stuff was,” Bachman said. “This is the year that we planned on making that transition.”

That first taste of big league experience went well on the field for Bachman as he posted a 3.18 ERA with 14 strikeouts.

Bachman’s 2024 season began in Arizona as he first started to make rehab appearances in late May. Going through the rehab process, Bachman first had to accept there was going to be pain he would initially need to push through.

“It’s been tough, the biggest turn for me was knowing my body isn’t gonna feel amazing,” Bachman said. “I just had to keep pushing through the parameters that were set for me.”

Bachman didn’t toss more than three innings in any of his four starts while there, appearing in his first games since July 3 with the Angels.

Once he returned to Rocket City, Bachman’s workload has creeped back up as he most recently tossed a season-high 5.2 innings in Chattanooga on June 29 also allowing just three earned runs during that start.

Having received a starter’s workload once again, Bachman has been pleased with how the process has treated him from a physical aspect.

“It’s been pretty smooth, much smoother than the past,” Bachman said. “Feeling better than ever and better than I’ve felt in all of pro ball so I think a lot of that is behind me.”

Gradually ramping up the innings Bachman has worked has been part of the process and it’s one that Trash Pandas manager Andy Schatzley feels has been working as of now.

“He’s getting his feels back, anytime you go through a layoff there’s gonna be a ramp-up period,” Schatzley said. “Once you see him pitching deeper into games that’s him progressing from a feel, physical and mental conditioning standpoint.”

Schatzley mentioned that working with members of the Rocket City coaching staff who have prior MLB playing experience has played a big part of the process. Both pitching coach Michael Wuertz and bullpen coach Doug Henry have worked with Bachman during his time in Rocket City.

“Mike and Doug do an unbelievably thorough job,” Schatzley said. “They are both a really good resource for him and are able to provide a lot of valuable reference points.”

With Bachman back to where he once was from a physical standpoint, he’s now working to improve his primary pitch to best prepare him to play deeper into games.

“Just working on getting my sinker down in the zone,” Bachman said. “I’ve got two really good secondaries to work with but without that fastball command down in the zone it could be difficult through the lineup two or three times.”

Bachman was also a starter at the college level. While at Miami of Ohio, the Fishers, Indiana native was a two-time First-Team All-MAC selection en route to becoming the ninth overall pick in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft.

Included in the lengthy resume that Bachman has built is being one of five current Trash Pandas with prior major league experience. Whether it’s with the Trash Pandas or any other clubhouse he’s a part of, Bachman is always open to sharing his past experiences for the betterment of the team.

“The way I go about it is being a value to anyone I can,” Bachman said. “If anyone has questions about anything in the big league clubhouse or at that level I’m always open to sharing any bit of knowledge that I learned, I think it makes everyone better.”

In the hopes of one day returning to Anaheim, Bachman aims to not let his prior experience blind him from getting better in Rocket City.

“Just because you have big league time doesn’t omit you from getting better and not working on things,” Bachman said. “Everyone’s on their own path so it’s important to not be complacent.”

Having worked with Bachman for multiple years to this point, Schatzley takes pride in seeing his pitcher in a good physical condition.

“Sam and I go back a long way now,” Schatzley said. “He’s been through a ton in his career and has battled through it so it’s good to see him healthy and in a really good spot.”

Even through his rehab process, Bachman has remained the same person each day he arrives at the ballpark.

“One of the biggest compliments you can give Sam is he’s the same guy every day,” Bachman said. “It’s awesome having him around now but no different than when he made his first professional start.”