‘Brotherly bond’: Will, David Bednar share memorable moment in SF Giants’ exhibition vs. Team USA

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — Will Bednar has seen David Bednar pitch at every single level of affiliated ball, from Class A Short Season to the majors. When the Giants introduced Will at Oracle Park after taking him in the first round of the 2021 MLB draft, David was coincidentally in town with the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitched a scoreless inning.

But what about David? Before Tuesday afternoon, how many times had big brother watched little brother pitch in the pro game?

“It’s a lot to zero,” Will said with a smile on Tuesday morning.

Now, it’s a lot to one.

There was no shortage of really cool moments during Team USA’s blowout victory over the Giants at Scottsdale Stadium. Top prospect Bryce Eldridge talked with his childhood idol. Eight prospects suited up for the United States, sharing a dugout with All-Stars and superstars. And as for the Bednar brothers, they faced each other for the first time in their lives.

“I use the word surreal all the time, but that’s exactly what it is,” said father Andy Bednar. “To have both guys pitching in the same game, you couldn’t have scheduled this any better. We knew this potentially could happened, so we scheduled months ago to come out here for this week. But this worked out incredibly.”

Said mother Sue Bednar: “This is amazing to see them together in uniform. Of course, David represents the U.S.A. That’s next level, and we’re so proud of both of them.”

David, pitching in his second World Baseball Classic for Team USA, entered in the bottom of the seventh inning with the United States already holding a commanding 12-run lead in what would be a 15-1 victory. The two-time All-Star handled his business quickly, retiring the side on nine pitches.

As David walked off the mound, Will jogged towards it for the top of the eighth. Will had to work around some traffic, allowing a single to Cal Raleigh and walking Giants prospect Scott Bandura, but he escaped the frame without allowing a run. And while David had the cleaner inning, Will topped out at 98.0 mph while David peaked at 95.5 mph.

“I think about all of their hard work and all the years of not just playing games and going to practices,” said Sue, “but all the extra stuff and extra workouts and extra time put in behind the scenes that nobody sees. That makes a big difference and allows them to do what they do. I’m just so proud of both of them for all they’ve accomplished, both on the field and off the field.”

The Bednar brothers traveled vastly different roads to get to Tuesday’s exhibition.

David was selected in the 35th round (which no longer exists) of the 2016 MLB draft out of Lafayette College, a private liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Will, by contrast, was the 14th overall pick in the ‘21 MLB draft after being named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player for Mississippi State.

While Will has the prospect pedigree, it’s been David who emerged as one of the best relievers in baseball. After making his debut in 2019, David was traded to his hometown Pirates in ‘21 as part of a three-team deal, then earned back-to-back All-Star nods in ‘22 and ‘23.

Will’s professional career has been much bumpier up to this point. He only appeared in 16 games over his first two professional seasons due to lingering back issues, transitioning from starting to relieving by the end of the 2024 season. Bednar spent most of ‘25 with Double-A, posting a 4.97 ERA with Richmond before making a brief cameo with Triple-A Sacramento at season’s end.

This isn’t to say David’s career has been without bumps in the road.

Following three excellent seasons from 2021-23 (2.25 ERA), Bednar had a 5.77 ERA in 2024 and lost the closer role. In ‘25, the Pirates quickly demoted Bednar to Triple-A after he retired three total batters in his first three outings. Bednar found his footing but was traded from his hometown team to the New York Yankees at the deadline, emerging as their closer down the stretch.

Throughout their respective ups and downs, the brothers leaned on one another as sounding boards.

“I think just that brotherly bond,” David said. “He knows what this is like and what the whole thing is. I think you’re always kind of picking each other’s brains and sharing experiences.”

“Having each other as resources has been amazing,” Sue said. “David kind of blazed the trail, and Will has been able to gain all of that extra knowledge that he may not have had if he didn’t have David. … They’re the only ones who really know what it’s like and what that’s all about, so for them to be able to lean on each other is huge.”

Will went untaken in the Rule 5 Draft after finishing the 2025 season with a 5.68 ERA over 52 1/3 innings, but there’s reason to believe the right-hander has legitimate major-league upside. While Bednar’s ERA didn’t look great, he posted a much more encouraging 3.18 FIP. Bednar issued a ton of free passes (15.8% BB%) but struck out more than a third of all batters he faced (34% K%).

There’s also the stuff. His velocity ticked up from the low 90s to the mid-to-high 90s in his first full year as a reliever, and this spring, he’s tweaked his slider shape so it better plays off his four-seam fastball. His outings in Arizona haven’t been crisp, but including Tuesday’s exhibition, he’s got three scoreless frames under his belt.

It would be another amazing moment for the Bednar family if Will were in San Francisco for Opening Night at Oracle Park, where David’s Yankees will be coming to town to start the season. Even if Will starts the season in the minors, he’s knocking on the door of making his debut. Given how the Giants’ bullpen is light on strikeout stuff, Bednar could force his way to the majors if he can dial in his command.

David had to wait several years before finally getting the chance to watch his brother pitch professionally. If Will takes to relieving as well as his brother, another sibling matchup could be in the cards down the road.

“It’d be so special,” David said. “He works his butt off. Hopefully, the opportunity comes and he’s going to make the most of it.”