Brandon Bielak

Bielak attended and played baseball at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey. 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.[1] 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),[2] in 2016, as a sophomore, he compiled a 3–2 record and a 2.10 ERA in 15 games (four starts),[3] and in 2017, as a junior, he was 2–6 with a 5.55 ERA in 15 games (14 starts).[4] In 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.[5] After his junior year, he was selected by the Houston Astros in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB draft.[6]

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).[7]

In 2018, Bielak began the season with the Buies Creek Astros and was named a Carolina League All-Star;[8] he was promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks in June.[9] In 25 games (17 starts) between the two clubs, he went 7–8 with a 2.23 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12][13]

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)