Former SF Giants top pick could be pitching his way into offseason plans

Former top SF Giant pick Will Bednar's pro career has not gone exactly as planned since he was selected in the first round of the 2021 draft out of Mississippi State University. However, he has stayed healthy and finally hit his stride on the mound, which could have an impact on the team's offseason plans.

Former SF Giants top pick could be pitching his way into offseason plans

Bednar helped Mississippi State University reach the College World Series in 2021. They lost in three games to Vanderbilt University. The right-handed hurler earned the Most Outstanding Player Award after he posted a 1.47 ERA in 18.1 innings during those playoffs. He helped his draft stock after a performance like that.

The Giants hoped that they drafted a mid-rotation arm when he was selected. However, he was limited to just 53.2 innings in his first two years as a pro due to back injuries. The Giants sent him to the Arizona Fall League in back-to-back seasons, but he was limited to just 8.2 innings for the same reasons.

In 2024, the 25-year-old pitcher stayed healthy but struggled badly with his command. He pitched to a 6.00 ERA with 76 strikeouts and 47 walks in 54 innings split across three levels. The encouraging news was that he was healthy enough to stay on the mound, even if the results were not all that strong.

The Giants assigned Bednar to Richmond to start this season. It was a return to familiar territory, as he finished the 2024 season in Double-A. Early in the year, the results were not too different this time around. He flashed strikeout stuff, but battled command issues.

Those command issues likely will not disappear, but as a reliever, pitchers can get away with it. Since June 1, Bednar has posted a 3.44 ERA, 2.40 FIP, 1.39 WHIP, 15.0 K/9, and a 3.39 SO/W rate across 36.2 innings. This includes an outing on Thursday where he struck out six batters in two innings against the Hartford Yard Goats.

On the mound, Bednar still flashes premium velocity, with a four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-to-high 90's. The fastball has some late, riding action up in the zone. He throws a gyro slider that sits in the low 80's that gets two-plane movement. In terms of pure stuff, the fastball-slider combination grades out as a plus pitch mix.

Bednar is no longer the top prospect that once made him a first-round pick. However, he is eligible for the Rule 5 draft again this winter. The Giants might have a decision to make here. They could protect him by adding him to the 40-man roster.

If not, some team could take a chance on the pure stuff and high strikeout totals, with the hopes that his control can improve. Bednar is the type of pitcher teams take a chance on in the Rule 5 draft. Whether the Giants decide to protect him or not will likely have a minimal impact on the overall offseason plan, but he is starting to look like a big league reliever.

More from Around the Foghorn: