Will Bednar, the Mars alum who led Mississippi State to the College World Series championship, signed with the San Francisco Giants on Friday for a reported bonus of $3.65 million.
The Giants announced the signing of the 6-foot-2, 229-pound right-hander, the younger brother of Pittsburgh Pirates reliever David Bednar, just hours before the Pirates and Giants were scheduled to play the first of a three-game weekend series at Oracle Park.
Welcome to San Francisco, @bednar_will! pic.twitter.com/VVcNvbdSKJ
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 23, 2021
Will Bednar was 9-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 19 games (16 starts) and 139 strikeouts this season for the Bulldogs. He shined brightest in the College World Series, going 3-0 in Omaha and pitching six hitless innings in the championship-clinching win over Vanderbilt. That helped boost him into the first round.
1st-rder Will Bednar signs w/@SFGiants for $3.65 million (pick 14 value = $4,036,800). Mississippi State RHP, @NCAACWS Most Outstanding Player, one of best combos of stuff & polish in @MLBDraft. Pair of plus pitches in mid-90s fastball & mid-80s slider.
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 23, 2021
The Giants drafted Will Bednar with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft on July 11, just hours after David Bednar earned his first major league victory. Will Bednar, who signed for $386,800 below the assigned slot value for the No. 14 pick, is the fifth Western Pennsylvania product selected in the first round of the MLB Draft in seven years.
