“I never expected to be drafted in the Major Leagues,” He said. “I always prayed that I could play, but I never expected to get drafted. Especially not my first year.”
Growing up in a small town outside of Ottawa, Ontario, Bedard attended Garneau High School, which didn't even have a baseball program. He traveled three hours to Vermont for 16 American Legion games.
Bedard improved his skills while playing at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut. In the 18 months that he was there, he started to build up arm strength and velocity. His fastball moved up the radar gun from the breezy upper 70s into the sweltering low 90s.
“In college is where I developed really good pitching mechanics because we
practiced year round,” Bedard said. "I would play in the summer at home and
come back in September and practice until January and February. Throwing year-round helps your arm a lot. At home you would throw for three months and be
off for six months.”
In his third full pro season, Bedard has played most of it for the Frederick Keys, a Single-A farm team in the Carolina League that is affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles.
His season looked bright until a game against Lynchburg on June 10. Bedard pitched six solid innings, and the Keys won 5-0. When he got on the team bus, something popped in his shoulder.
“I went to lift myself up to get something and pinched something,”
Bedard said. “I strained a muscle in my LAT, one of the arm pit muscles. I couldn't throw the next day and it has hurt ever since.”
The Orioles sent him to Sarasota to rehabilitate the injury. In two rehab starts with the Gulf Coast League Orioles, Bedard allowed just two runs in 6.0 innings pitched, striking out seven.
“If I didn't get hurt I would assume I'd be in Bowie," Erik tells MLN. [The Bay Sox are the Eastern League AA affiliate of the Orioles. "Its a minor setback. Next year I will probably be at Bowie. I'll continue to move up as fast as I would have if I didn't get hurt.”
The 6'1" left-hander has been 8-2 in 13 games with a 2.21 ERA He pitched 73.1 innings, and struck out 99, nine of those in an impressive return from rehab.
Bedard represented the Keys in the Single A All-star game in Lancaster Ca., and also had the honor of being one of 50 minor leaguers picked for the Future Stars Game held during All-star week in Seattle, WA.
“I couldn't believe I was picked for the futures game. I called my parents and they
were excited, then I called my agent and he was excited, too. Not everybody gets picked to go to the futures game,” Bedard said.
When Bedard is not at the ballpark, he enjoys fishing, golfing and playing
basketball. He also enjoys going to movies, the mall and buying clothes.
Erik's father, Norman, works as a elevator mechanic and his mother, Nicole, works for the Canadian Government. He has an 18-year-old brother Mark. He is from the Navan, a suburb of Ottawa.
Last year, Bedard pitched for the Delmarva Shorebirds in the low Single A.
His first game with the Shorebirds was at Savannah, Ga. he pitched an
inning of relief and struck out all three men he faced. He started in the bullpen and was given a chance to start midseason. He finished the season with a 9-4 record.
“I didn't think I would do this good at Frederick,” Bedard says. “My
confidence went up and started rolling.”
Bedard describes himself as a hard working finesse pitcher, who throws fastball, curveball and change-ups. “I throw mostly fastball in to try and jam hitters then go away and try to finish [them] off with a fastball.”
He never quits, even if something bad happens.
"If I give up a three-run homer, I will come back and try to throw
good pitches to the next batter," he says with the assurance and maturity that is becoming part of his reputation. "I don't put my head down, and I go after people. I am very confident and I always count on my stuff.”
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