Will Bednar Selected in First Round of MLB Draft, a Sign of the Times for Mississippi State Baseball
Mississippi State right-handed pitcher Will Bednar is headed to California after the San Francisco Giants selected him at No. 14 overall in this year's MLB Draft. Bednar was originally ranked No. 17 on ESPN's big board.
The draft-eligible sophomore was named the Most Outstanding Player in the 2021 College World Series after he struck out 26 batters, allowing just three runs over 18.1 innings of work.
Over the 2020 season, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Bednar posted a 3.12 ERA and 1.061 WHIP, striking out 139 batters in 92.1 innings.
It's worth noting that Bednar could have joined his brother, David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the pros much earlier than this.
Of course, to be taken off the board so highly is a huge accomplishment for Bednar after he was an essential piece in the Bulldogs' run for the national title -- but it's more than that. It's a sign of the times for MSU baseball.
The program has undoubtedly been on the up with eight first-round draft picks in the past nine years. Compare that to the 10 first-round draft selections the program had in the first 46 years of the event, and it tells you something about just how good the times are right now for the Bulldogs.
How Bednar progresses as he takes the first step into his professional career and how the baseball program back in Starkville continues to elevate after securing its first national championship victory in any team sport will be something to watch moving forward.