Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 Draft Prospects: RHP Will Bednar
Before David Bednar came to Pittsburgh in the Joe Musgrove deal, not much was known around Pittsburgh about the Bednar family. However, in Mars, PA., they were known for being a big baseball family, and their two sons, David and Will, were the stars of the fighting planets baseball team. David went on to play baseball at Lafayette College and was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 35th round of the 2016 MLB draft. Will Bednar followed his brother's entire professional career through the Padres system and was ecstatic when he saw that David had been traded to the Pirates. Now, five years after his brother was drafted, Will Bednar is in his first year of eligibility at Mississippi State and is the #34 ranked prospect in the class. It may offer a chance for a Bednar brother reunion here in Pittsburgh.
Many scouts have Will Bednar going somewhere in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Bednar's draft journey actually began in High School, when he garnered interest from scouts around the league. However, he came down with bicep tendinitis during his senior year that severely hurt that draft stock. So instead, he went on to Mississippi State, where he has become a top starting pitcher in the Mississippi State rotation. In fact, heading into the 2021 draft, Bednar and two other Mississippi State pitchers were projected to go in the top two rounds. He lives off a high-powered fastball that he complements well with a power slider as his out pitch. Today, we look at Bednar's Mississippi State career and see if the organization is big enough for both Bednar brothers.
From Mars to Mississippi
From the time he was a senior in high school, it was apparent that Will Bednar was headed to the Major Leagues. He was one of the fastest pitchers in the WPIAL, with an average fastball of 95 miles per hour back in 2019, and was projected to go in the top 10 rounds of the 2019 MLB Draft. However, the injury bug would ultimately strike Bednar as he would come down with bicep tendinitis and would end up missing most of his senior year. Because of this, his draft stock plummeted and his dreams of getting drafted out of high school faded. However, he already had a commitment to Mississippi State, and a chance to show that he wasn't going to let an injury slow him down. It would be a long road to recovery, but Bednar was ready to prove he was back.
He started his college career off strong as he pitched to an impressive 1.76 ERA over his first 15.1 innings of work. He appeared in four games and struck out 23 batters in 15.1 innings of work while walking two. He still had the power fastball, but it was here that he began to develop his slider that has become his secondary pitch. He got it to as high as 80 mph and offered a nice change of speeds from his fastball. Opponents were hitting just .142 against Bednar and he was fourth among freshman in strikeouts. However, he was about to hit another roadblock that neither he nor anyone else saw coming. The pandemic shut down his freshman season and he was forced to work the rest of his season at home. Once again, he had to fight through adversity and he would take the delay in stride.
He entered the 2021 season as one of Mississippi State's top starting pitchers with a lot to prove. With three of the team's starting pitchers all with top two round projections, he was going to have to work to stand out from the rest. He has done just that so far and is the only one of those three pitchers who have lived up to their hype. So far through 11 games, nine starts, this season he has gone 5-1 with a 3.31 ERA over a career-high 49 innings of work. He has struck out 80 batters and walked 12 during that time and once again has the eyes of several professional scouts. He probably won't go in the first round of the 2021 draft, but the second round could see a lot more suitors for the right-hander's services.
How Will Bednar fits with Pittsburgh
With rumors swirling that the Pirates are very interested in high school shortstop Jordan Lawlar, it makes it that much more likely that they will go with a pitcher in the second round. The system is starting to build its stock of power arms with guys like Quinn Priester and Roansy Contreras, but the more of those high power, high upside arms you have the better off you will be. If Will Bednar is available in that second round, he could be a high upside arm for the Pirates to add to the system. Bednar is also a very versatile option as he goes both as a reliever and a starter, so the Pirates could choose whichever route they feel more comfortable with for Bednar to go.
At just 20-years-old, if the Pirates do draft Bednar, he would most likely start his pro career at Low-A Bradenton. Whether or not he would be used in relief or as a starter would be up to the Pirates. He seems to be able to throw the fastball consistently in the mid to upper 90s, which bodes well for his future as a starter. He is also working on his change-up, a pitch he has been developing since starting his time at Mississippi State. If he can develop this third effective pitch, it would allow him to have a nice mix that he can use as a starting pitcher. However, if he can't develop that third pitch, it may be better for the Pirates to use him in a relief role.
If Bednar is available in the second round, he may be a good option for the Pirates to grab. Whether he is starting to in relief, you can never have too many power arms in the system. Last season, four of the five pitchers that Ben Cherington took were college arms, and this would follow right along with that trend. Early in his career, I would try Bednar as a starter, and if that third pitch doesn't develop they could then move him to the bullpen. As for whether or not we could see both Bednar brothers in Pittsburgh at the same time, the question isn't too far off. David is only 26-years-old, and if Will can develop in three to four years, that puts David at 29-30 years old. David Bednar has already made his impression in Pittsburgh, and if the Pirates take a chance on Will, he will have a chance to do the same.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (15-21) start a four-game weekend series against the San Francisco Giants (22-14) at 6:35 pm. Wil Crowe (0-1, 4.06) makes his fourth start for the Pirates and has been solid this season as he goes against Anthony DeSclafani (2-1, 2.40 ERA) for the Giants. You can watch the game live on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter by following @Buccos_Cove.
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