A native New Jerseyan, right-hander Brandon Bielak was chosen by the Houston Astros in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB First Year Player Draft out of Notre Dame, and is rapidly ascending the ranks as a prized Houston asset.

In a recent MLB.com article, Jim Callis listed Houston as the parent club for one of the five most improved farm systems in the majors. In fact, of those five teams mentioned in the article (Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, and Houston), the Astros have the best farm system, according to Callis. They’re in proud possession of the top pair of position and pitching prospects in outfielder Kyle Tucker and right-hander Forrest Whitley.

Adding to the Astros’ top farm marks, per Callis, are 2018 first-rounder Seth Beer (slashing .304/.389/.496 across three levels in his first pro season), coupled with the emergence of Josh James (who made a noticeable impression during September in Houston, and who led all of MiLB in K rate with 13.5 per nine innings), and rising arms Corbin Martin, Bryan Abreu, and the 22-year-old Bielak.

Brandon Michael Bielak, 6’1″, 210 lbs

Bielak attended St. Joseph, the same private, all-boys Roman Catholic high school in Metuchen, NJ Jon Bon Jovi (2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee) attended for two years some three dozen years before Bielak (pronounced BEE-lack).

A nearby Sayreville native, Bielak committed to Notre Dame following his sophomore year after being offered a full scholarship, but not before earning four varsity letters in baseball for the Falcons. Bielak posted a 0.82 ERA as a senior, striking out 87 on his way to an 8-1 record as St. Joseph went 21-9 and won the Greater Middlesex County Championship.

“After a rigorous recruiting process in which Brandon received many offers from some of the nation’s top baseball programs, he decided on Notre Dame,” St. Joseph coach Steve Bucchignano told NJ.com in 2012. “I think Brandon made the best decision that he could for him and his family. Notre Dame has an incredible academic program and the athletic program has a tremendous history.”

Taming the ACC

As a sophomore, Bielak led the Irish with a 2.10 ERA over his 15 appearances (four starts) and was second on the team with 54 strikeouts in 55.2 innings against 25 walks. He posted the lowest batting average against on the team, among eligible pitchers, at .214.

In the summer of 2016, Bielak put up a 1.54 ERA against wood bats, with 29 strikeouts over 23.1 relief innings (17 hits, seven walks) for the Orleans (MA) Firebirds in the Cape Cod League.

In his junior year, Bielak tossed 73 innings. He was second on the team with 75 strikeouts, while allowing the fewest home runs (four) of any Notre Dame pitcher. Bielak enjoyed four quality starts on the season while striking out at least six hitters in seven of his 14 starts.

At Notre Dame, Bielak shared the diamond with both Conor and Cavan Biggio, sons of Hall-of-Famer and former 20-year Astro, Craig Biggio.

Related: Biggio’s Triple Crown: Former Astro’s Kids Follow in Dad’s Footsteps

In the classroom, Bielak majored in IT Management at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, and was a three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll recipient.

The Houston Fast Track

Having paid his 2017 dues in Houston’s lower minor leagues (rookie league, short season A), Bielak bypassed full season Class A Quad Cities to begin 2018 at Advanced-A Buies Creek, where he started half of his 14 games. He earned Carolina League mid-season All-Star recognition (with a 2.10 ERA in 55.2 IP, striking out 74 to 17 walks), which led to a spot on Houston’s Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks affiliate.

Bielak was the starter ten times in his eleven appearances for the Hooks, and his 2.35 ERA in 61.1 IP impressed Houston brass, as did his 57 Ks vs 22 walks.

The Bielak Arsenal

“I’ve got a 4-seam fastball, a spike curveball, a slider and circle changeup,” Bielak explained to WhatTheHeckBobby.com’s Jayne Hansen in May. “Fastball anywhere from 90-94.” Revealing a penchant for throwing his change, he revealed, “It’s just something I have a really good feel for. Something that’s my go-to pitch when I need to throw it for a strike.”

Bielak is not shy in giving mad props to Houston’s system coaches for helping him reach his potential: “I learned a lot my first season with the Astros. They changed a few things with my pitches, and I kind of just took off from there. They helped transform two of my pitches.

“I just threw a regular curveball, and now I throw a spiked and before I threw a slurve, and now I throw an actual slider so they definitely know how to develop pitchers in this organization. Just from the first two years with the Astros, I’ve learned so much about baseball, about pitching, just the overall game. It’s clearly been helping me.”

Brandon’s 2019

With little left to prove in Double-A, look for Bielak to start the season at AAA Round Rock.

Listen to a Hooks pre-game interview, here, with Bielak from August 2018: