COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball junior RHP Ian Bedell (Davenport, Iowa) was selected in the fourth round (122nd overall pick) of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday evening.
Bedell becomes Mizzou's 11th pitcher to be selected among the opening five rounds of an MLB Draft since 2006. He joins former Tiger hurlers in TJ Sikkema (1st Round – 2019, Michael Plassmeyer (4th Round – 2018, Tanner Houck (1st Round – 2017, Breckin Williams (4th Round – 2015, Brett Graves (3rd Round – 2014, Rob Zastryzny (2nd Round – 2013, Kyle Gibson (1st Round – 2009, Aaron Crow (1st Round – 2008, Nathan Culp (4th Round – 2006) and Max Scherzer (1st Round – 2006).
The Tigers have had a player selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in two consecutive drafts. Bedell joins former Mizzou RHP Cameron Dulle (30th Round – 2019) as recent draftees by the Cardinals.
Under head coach Steve Bieser, Mizzou has produced 17 total draft picks the past four years. Six of those selections have occurred in the top-10 rounds of the draft.
Following Bedell's selection in the fourth round Thursday, Mizzou has now accumulated at least one pick in 25 consecutive editions of the MLB Draft (1996-present).
Bedell jumped onto the national scene following a dominant 2019 sophomore campaign out of the Tigers bullpen. The righty went 3-1 with a 1.56 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 40.1 innings pitched. Bedell strung together an impressive 19.0 consecutive scoreless innings streak from March 27 – May 3 to highlight his breakout season.
Prior to his 2020 junior campaign in Mid-Missouri, Bedell was tabbed a 2020 Perfect Game/Rawlings and D1Baseball.com Preseason Third-Team All-American. Additionally, he was one of 55 players nationally to be named to the prestigious 2020 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List.
In the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020 season, Bedell posted a 2-2 record over four starts while tallying a 3.70 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 24.1 innings pitched. He limited opposing batters to a mere .211 average. Bedell recorded double-digit strikeouts in each of his victories, highlighted by a career-high 12 punchouts versus Western Illinois (March 6).
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