Another Will In San Francisco

STARKVILLE – After shining on the biggest stage in college baseball and earning the NCAA College World Series Most Outstanding Player, right-handed pitcher Will Bednar became the 18th first-round pick in the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft in Mississippi State history.

Bednar's selection by the San Francisco Giants marks the eighth time since 2016 that an MSU pitcher has been selected in the top 10 rounds, including five going in the top three rounds. With the 14th overall pick, Bednar is the highest selected right-handed pitcher in program history, edging out Jay Powell, who was the No. 19 overall pick in the 1993 draft. He is also tied for the fifth-highest pick overall in MSU history with Justin Foscue (No. 14, 2020 – Texas Rangers).

Overall, seven Diamond Dawgs have been selected by the Giants, with the last three all making their big league debut for San Francisco. That trio includes Will Clark (1st round; 1985), Jeff Brantley (6th round; 1985) and Chris Stratton (1st round; 2012).

He joins Powell, Carlton Loewer (1994), Matt Ginter (1999), Stratton and Dakota Hudson (2016) as MSU right-handed pitchers picked in the first round of the MLB Draft.

Bednar's selection in the first round marks three straight seasons for the Diamond Dawgs with at least one first round selection. Since 2012, Mississippi State has eight first round choices on its resume, which is tied for No. 4 nationally across college baseball.

Under head coach Chris Lemonis, Mississippi State has seen 15 student-athletes drafted in the MLB Draft, including four going in the first round. Of the 15 total picks, an MSU record-tying 11 were selected in the 2019 draft, while three went in the abbreviated, five-round draft in 2020 – each in the first 52 picks.

In the MLB Draft, Mississippi State has heard 175 student-athletes' names called at the event for a total of 215 draft picks. State has seen 65 taken in the first 10 rounds with 33 selected in the first five rounds, including the 18 first rounders – which ranks No. 8 all-time in NCAA history.

Will Bednar | RHP | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The 25th Diamond Dawg overall and third freshman to reach the century mark for strikeouts in a single season, Bednar finished No. 6 on the single-season strikeout charts with 139 strikeouts over 19 appearances, which included 16 starts. In 92 1/3 innings of work, the right-hander owned a WHIP of 1.06 and limited hitters to a .214 batting average against. He was a part of four combined shutouts and ended the season with a 9-1 record.

The No. 2 starter during the SEC season, Bednar transitioned into the series-opening role during the postseason and capped his second season on campus with All-America honors. He earned wins at LSU, at Auburn, at Vanderbilt, against Texas A&M, at South Carolina, at Alabama, over Samford in the NCAA Regional and versus Texas and Vanderbilt at the College World Series.

In his first full collegiate season, Bednar worked at least five innings in 13 of 16 starts and owned seven starts with one-or-fewer walk in 2021. His five double-digit strikeout games were highlighted by a MSU College World Series record 15 strikeouts in the CWS opener. The College World Series Most Outstanding Player, Bednar made three stars and allowed three runs on five hits over 18 1/3 innings at the event. He set the MSU record for career strikeouts in Omaha at 26 to just six walks.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Will Bednar

Justin Foscue

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