SF Giants: 5 fun facts about first-round pick Will Bednar

Right-handed pitcher Will Bednar was drafted by the SF Giants out of Mississippi State in the first round of the 2021 MLB draft with the 14th overall selection. Bednar’s first year in college was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he posted a 1.76 ERA with 23 strikeouts and just 6 walks over 15.1 innings pitched in the spring of 2020. This college baseball season, he finished the year with 139 strikeouts across 92.1 innings pitched with 26 walks and a 3.12 ERA.

Bednar has a powerful arsenal, primarily relying on a mid-90s fastball and wipeout slider, but occasionally mixing in a changeup that will likely be a focus of his early development as a professional. However, while fans are surely interested in reading more scouting reports on the righty, let’s take a minute to recap five fun facts about the 21 year old.

Fun facts about SF Giants top pick Will Bednar
1. His father was his high school coach

While Bednar spent his college days in the deep south, he was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended Mars Area High School in a Pittsburgh suburb. His father, Andy Bednar, worked at the high school for several years as a math teacher, baseball coach, and football coach. He resigned as the head baseball coach in the summer of 2019 after serving on the team’s staff for 23 years. Andy is credited with building Mars into one of the strongest baseball programs in the area.

Andy has an impressive baseball-playing resume of his own. After starring for a Pittsburgh area high school, he attended Cornell University, where he competed on the mound against Ivy League competition. Needless to say, Bednar’s father clearly played a pivotal role in his maturation as both a person and player.