Who’s the New Guy?: What You Need to Know About Orlando City Striker Adam Bedell

Earlier today, Orlando City added 6-foot-7 forward Adam Bedell in a trade with Columbus Crew SC, in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.

In order to find out more about Bedell, we turned to frienemy of The Mane Land, Patrick Murphy from Massive Report,our sister blog at SB Nation covering the Crew. Pat was kind enough to give us an overview of Orlando City’s newest player.

So, we know Adam Bedell is really tall. What else can you tell us about him as a player?

Patrick Murphy: Tall he is, tied for the tallest player in Major League Soccer, actually. For a tall player, he’s actually quite good with the ball at his feet. Having played both midfield and defense before his professional days, he learned how to dribble well and can also play a decent pass. He also has a rather nice shot, which we saw in the U.S. Open Cup earlier this season against the Richmond Kickers, when he scored a curling shot from outside the 18-yard box.

Also strange for a tall player, he's not the best in the air. Bedell was always criticized by Crew SC fans for not jumping enough. When a ball goes over the head of someone 6-foot-7, the coach either needs to reconsider his choice in wingers or figure out why the player on the end didn't get up enough.

I guess you could say Bedell is a tall player who doesn't play very tall.

Why do you think Bedell did not work out with the Crew?

PM: Frankly, he didn’t score enough. Bedell made 16 appearances in 2014 — seven starts — and scored two goals. This is on a team that creates a lot of opportunities for its forwards (see Kei Kamara) and was in desperate need of someone to seize the striker role last year.

Bedell has looked good at times, but that’s mostly come against lesser opposition. He did have an impressive game against the New York Red Bulls last year, so that’s something. Frankly, he’s a player that needs to get minutes and develop. He has the physical tools to be good in MLS, but the playing time just wasn’t there for him, especially after the Black & Gold acquired Jack McInerney.

We know he played center back in college. Was he ever considered for that role in Columbus?

PM: No. The Crew SC staff first saw Bedell at a small combine where he was playing striker and that was the position he was drafted to play. I talked to Bedell about being a defender in another life when he was drafted and he seemed like he wanted to play up top. Not that he would be opposed to a switch, especially if it means more playing time, but that was never something discussed while in Columbus.

What is Bedell's ceiling as an MLS player?

PM: I think he has potential to be an MLS striker. Will he ever be a U.S. National Team level player? I doubt it, but he could be a starter in this league. The kid is only 23 years old, after all. With a frame like he has, if he can find playing time, he could potentially develop into something reliable, especially if he can become for effective in the air.

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Big thanks to Pat for giving us the inside scoop on our newest Lion!