Bednar is likely to open the season with Triple-A El Paso if he doesn't make the Padres' Opening Day roster, Bill Center of FriarWire reports.
Bednar spent most of last season with Double-A Amarillo, posting a 2.95 ERA and racking up 14 saves in 15 chances while compiling an 86:18 K:BB over 58 innings. That earned the right-hander a late-season callup to the big club, during which he gave up eight earned runs over 11 frames. Bednar was more effective than those numbers indicate, however; five of the earned runs he allowed came in a disastrous final outing, and he posted an impressive 29.2 percent strikeout rate overall. A deep and crowded San Diego relief corps could prevent Bednar from opening the campaign in the big leagues, but he figures to be one of the first options should the Padres need a bullpen arm along the way.