Will Bednar, a right-handed pitcher from Valencia, Pennsylvania and no. 14 overall pick of the San Francisco Giants in the 2021 MLB Draft, has signed his rookie contract with the club. Bednar’s deal is worth $3.6 million, 90% of his pick’s $4,036,800 slot value.
Bednar shot up draft boards this past season, particularly due to his performance in the College World Series, where his brilliant pitching led Mississippi State to its first national title in school history.
Bednar went 9-1 with a 3.12 ERA and .214 opponent batting average over 16 starts as the Bulldogs’ ace during the regular season. He won all five games he pitched in the NCAA Tournament, including three at the College World Series. Over three starts in Omaha, Bednar pitched 18 ⅓ innings, struckout 26, gave up just three runs on five hits and ultimately earned Most Outstanding Player honors.
With a mid-90’s fastball and wipeout, mid-80’s slider, the 21-year old Bendar was considered to be one of the best right-handed pitchers available in this year’s draft. He was a late riser and the combination of stuff and power displayed late in the draft process became too much to ignore.
Baseball runs in the Bednar family. His brother, David, is in the middle of his third and most successful year in the major leagues — he currently owns a 2.84 ERA over 42 appearances for the Pirates this season — and his dad, Andy — who pitched briefly in the minor leagues — coached the two during his 16-year long tenure as head coach of the Mars Area High School team.
