After attending Mount Vernon Township High School, where he played basketball, the Mount Vernon, Illinois native traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Belmont University. During his fourth season of college baseball with the Belmont Rebels, Bernard was named District Player of the Year in 1974. He currently ranks second in school history in earned run average at 2.18.
Bernard was drafted by the New York Mets in the second round of the 1974 Major League Baseball draft. Over four seasons as a starting pitcher in their farm system Bernard went 28-40 with a 4.17 ERA. With the Tidewater Tides in 1978, Bernard was moved into the bullpen, and responded with a 1.64 ERA as a reliever to earn a call up to the majors.
Bernard made his major league debut on June 29, pitching one inning, and allowing one earned run against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He allowed just one earned run over his next five appearances, and made a spot start in the second game of a July 20 doubleheader with the Houston Astros. With the score tied at two, Bernard was pulled in the fifth inning after walking the first two batters. He earned his first career win on September 10 against the Pirates. It would turn out to be his only career win with the club, as he would go 1-7 with a 4.50 ERA over two seasons as a Met. Following the 1979 season, the Mets traded Bernard to the Milwaukee Brewers for fellow pitcher Mark Bomback.

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