Steven Brault


Steven Joseph Brault is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball.

Baseball career

Brault grew up as a fan of the San Diego Padres. He graduated from Grossmont High School in El Cajon, California. As a senior at Grossmont, he compiled an 8-1 record with a 2.56 ERA along with batting.378. He was undrafted out of high school.
Brault played college baseball at Regis University, where he majored in vocal performance. As a junior, he started 11 games and was 8–3 with a 2.63 ERA, striking out 103 and walking only 18 in 78.2 innings.

Baltimore Orioles

He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 11th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft and he signed.
After signing, Brault made his professional debut with the Aberdeen IronBirds and spent the remainder of 2013 there, going 1–2 with a 2.09 ERA in 12 starts. He spent 2014 with the Delmarva Shorebirds and Frederick Keys, compiling a combined 11–8 record and 2.77 ERA in 25 games.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Brault was sent from the Orioles to the Pittsburgh Pirates as the player to be named later on February 20, 2015, completing a trade from the previous month on January 27 in which Travis Snider was sent to Baltimore in exchange for Stephen Tarpley. He started his Pirates career with the Bradenton Marauders and was later promoted to the Altoona Curve. In 28 starts between both clubs, Brault pitched to a 13–4 record, a 2.43 ERA, and a 1.12 WHIP. He began 2016 with the Indianapolis Indians.
The Pirates promoted Brault to the major leagues to make his debut on July 5, 2016, at Busch Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched four innings in which he gave up two runs while walking two and striking out five as Pittsburgh defeated St. Louis 5–2. He was optioned back to Indianapolis the next day. Brault was recalled and optioned multiple times during the season, with his final call-up of the year being September 2. In 16 games, he was 2–7 with a 3.91 ERA, and in eight games for Pittsburgh, he was 0–3 with a 4.86 ERA. Brault began 2017 with Indianapolis. He was recalled twice before he was called up for the remainder of the season on August 22. In 21 starts for the Indians, he pitched to a 10–5 record and 1.94 ERA, and in 11 games for the Pirates, he was 1–0 with a 4.67 ERA.
Brault began 2018 in Pittsburgh's bullpen but was moved into the starting rotation because of an injury to Joe Musgrove. However, after compiling a 5.54 ERA through five starts, he was moved into the bullpen. He ended the season with an ERA of 4.61 in 45 games. He struck out 82 in innings.
In 2019, Brault pitched in 25 games, 19 of which he started, and recorded a 5.16 ERA with a 4–6 record. Offensively, he tied with Zack Greinke for the major league lead in hits by a pitcher with 14.

Music career

At Regis University, Brault majored in music performance with a vocal performance emphasis. On June 19, 2018, Brault sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at PNC Park before the Pirates' game against the Milwaukee Brewers. On September 8, 2019, he repeated his National Anthem performance prior to a Pirates game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He had sung the National Anthem before games in the minor leagues, and also participated in theater and choir programs in his childhood.
In November 2019, Brault recorded a music album, "A Pitch At Broadway." The album celebrates the greatest songs from the top Broadway musicals of all-time, featuring songs from the musicals Hamilton, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Dear Evan Hansen, and more. Brault performed lead vocals on the 12-song album. He was accompanied on the album by drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Kenny Aronoff, bassist Leland Sklar, guitarist Tim Pierce and keyboardist Jeff Babko. Adam Pascal and fellow Pirates player Josh Bell were special guests on the album. The album was produced by Latin GRAMMY-nominated producer, Loren Harriet, who also produced former New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams' two albums.
In association with his album release, Brault appeared as a special guest vocalist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for three concerts from February 7 to 9, 2020.
Pre-orders for Brault's "A Pitch At Broadway" will be available to purchase on February 22, 2020. The official album release is April 3, 2020.

Personal

In the baseball off-season, Brault resides in San Diego, California. He also runs a podcast with fellow Pirate Trevor Williams called "IMHO" in which they will have usually another Pirate and rank subjects outside of baseball.