Brandon Bielak
Bielak with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in 2023
Houston Astros – No. 64
Pitcher
Born: (1996-04-02) April 2, 1996
Edison, New Jersey, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 27, 2020, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Win–loss record11–13
Earned run average4.54
Strikeouts146
Teams

Brandon Michael Bielak (born April 2, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at the University of Notre Dame. He was selected by the Astros in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2020.

Amateur career

Raised in Sayreville, New Jersey, Bielak attended and played baseball at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey.[1] In 2014, as a senior, he pitched to an 8–1 record with a 0.58 ERA, striking out 87 batters in 60.2 innings pitched.[2]

Undrafted out of high school in the 2014 MLB draft, he enrolled at the University of Notre Dame where he played college baseball for the Fighting Irish. In 2015, as a freshman, he was 6–3 with a 3.55 ERA in 17 games (14 starts), in 2016, as a sophomore, he compiled a 3–2 record and a 2.10 ERA in 15 games (four starts).[3] Following his sophomore season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.[4] In 2017, as a junior, he was 2–6 with a 5.55 ERA in 15 games (14 starts).[5][6] After his junior year, he was selected by the Houston Astros in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB draft.[7]

Professional career

Bielak signed with Houston and made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Astros. After two scoreless appearances, he was promoted to the Tri-City ValleyCats where he finished the season with a 1–1 record and a 0.92 ERA in eight games (four starts).[8] In 2018, Bielak began the season with the Buies Creek Astros and was named a Carolina League All-Star; he was promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks in June.[9][10] In 25 games (17 starts) between the two clubs, he went 7–8 with a 2.23 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.[11] In 2019, Bielak returned to Corpus Christi to begin the season and was promoted to the Round Rock Express in May. Over 23 games (twenty starts), Bielak went 11–4 with a 4.22 ERA, striking out 119 over 121+2⁄3 innings.[12]

On July 27, 2020, Bielak's contract was selected to the 40-man roster. He made his MLB debut that day against the Seattle Mariners and was the winning pitcher in an 8–5 contest.[13][14] Bielak finished the 2020 season with Houston with a 6.75 ERA over 32 innings.[15]

In 2021, Bielak went 3–4 while appearing in 28 games (two starts). He pitched fifty innings and struck out 46 batters while walking 21; he had a WHIP of 1.380 and an ERA of 4.50.[16] Bielak made five appearances for Houston in 2022, spending the majority of the season with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys. In 12+1⁄3 innings pitched, he recorded a 3.65 ERA with 12 strikeouts.

Bielak was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land to begin the 2023 season.[17] The Astros recalled him to the major league roster on April 30, 2023.[18] On May 19, Bielak earned his first win of the season with a career-high nine strikeouts versus the Oakland Athletics.[19] He established a number career highs at the major league level in 2023, including in games won with a 5–6 record, games stated (13) and innings pitched (80). He posted a 3.83 ERA, 5.19 Fielding Independent Pitching, 86 hits, 36 walks, and 12 home runs allowed, 1.525 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP), and 7.0 strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9, 62 total).[20]

References

  1. ↑ Tufaro, Greg. "Houston selects former St. Joseph ace Bielak in MLB Draft", Courier News, June 14, 2017. Accessed April 6, 2021. "The Houston Astros selected former St. Joseph High School ace Brandon Bielak, who just completed his third season at the University of Notre Dame, with the 331st overall pick in the 11th round of Major League Baseball's 2017 First-Year Player Draft. The junior right-hander from Sayreville compiled an 11-11 career record with two saves and a 3.85 ERA, making 47 appearances, 32 of them starts for the Fighting Irish."
  2. ↑ "Brandon Bielak of St. Joseph (Metuchen) is Home News Tribune Baseball Player of the Year". MY CENTRAL JERSEY. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Irish Trio Of Bielak, Ruibal & Lidge Drafted". UND Athletics. 14 June 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ "#16 Brandon Bielak – Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Irish Trio Of Bielak, Ruibal & Lidge Drafted // News // The Daily Domer // University of Notre Dame". dailydomer.nd.edu. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Meet the Astros 2017 Draft Class · Astros Future". astrosfuture.com. December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Houston selects former St. Joseph ace Bielak in MLB Draft". MY CENTRAL JERSEY. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Brandon Bielak Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Four Mudcats to play in Carolina League All-Star Game – Rocky Mount Telegram". www.rockymounttelegram.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  10. ↑ Batten, Sammy. "Winning, promotions highlight Astros' 1st half". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Brandon Bielak Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  12. ↑ Rome, Chandler (March 11, 2020). "Pitcher Brandon Bielak included in Astros' latest cuts to spring roster". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  13. ↑ Rome, Chandler (July 28, 2020). "Astros insider: Brandon Bielak has a debut to remember". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  14. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (July 28, 2020). "Astros' bats pick up beleaguered staff". MLB.com. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Astros' Brandon Bielak: Dominant in long-relief outing". CBSSports.com.
  16. ↑ "Brandon Bielak 2021 pitching game logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Astros' Brandon Bielak: Beginning season in minors". CBSSports.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  18. ↑ Lerner, Danielle (May 1, 2023). "Astros pitcher Brandon Bielak recalled with role in question". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  19. ↑ Lerner, Danielle (May 19, 2023). "Astros 5, A's 1: Kyle Tucker lifts Houston to series-opening win". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Brandon Bielak stats, height, weight, position, rookie status & more". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
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