Steven Joseph Brault (born April 29, 1992) is an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...

and former

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

for the

Spire City Ghost Hounds The Spire City Ghost Hounds are a professional baseball team in Frederick, Maryland, that began play in 2023. The franchise competes in the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and plays home games at Nymeo Field at Har ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...

. He has played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

and

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

Amateur career

Brault grew up as a fan of the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

. He graduated from

Grossmont High School Grossmont High School is the oldest high school in San Diego's east county, California. Its mascot is the Foothiller, so chosen because, at the time of the school's construction, east county was much more isolated from the rest of San Diego than ...

El Cajon, California El Cajon ( , ; Spanish: El Cajón, meaning "the box") is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajón, which was in turn named for the box-like shape of the va ...

. As a senior at Grossmont, he compiled an 8–1 record with a 2.56 ERA along with batting .378, playing alongside future

teammate

Joe Musgrove Joseph Anthony Musgrove (born December 4, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played within the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and Pittsburgh Pirates organ ...

. He was undrafted out of high school. Brault played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

Regis University Regis University is a private Jesuit university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1877 by the Society of Jesus, the university offers more than 120 degrees through 5 colleges in a variety of subjects, including education, liberal arts, business, nu ...

, 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.

Professional career

Baltimore Orioles

The

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

selected Brault in the 11th round of the

2013 Major League Baseball draft The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. Each team received one selection per round, going in ...

. He signed with the Orioles, and made his professional debut with the

Aberdeen IronBirds The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in the city of Aberdeen in Harford County, Maryland. They are the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and compete in the South Atlantic League. They were previously members of th ...

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 The Delmarva Shorebirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are members of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Their home games are played at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium. The Shore ...

and

Frederick Keys The Frederick Keys are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for "Star-Spangled Banner" writer Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. A new team masco ...

, compiling a combined 11–8 record and 2.77 ERA in 25 games (24 starts).

Pittsburgh Pirates

Brault was sent from the Orioles to the

as the

player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...

on February 20, 2015, completing a trade from the previous month on January 27 in which

Travis Snider Travis James Snider (born February 2, 1988) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Nicknamed Lunchbox, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Baltimore Orioles. Amateur caree ...

was sent to Baltimore in exchange for

Stephen Tarpley Stephen Nicholas Tarpley (born February 17, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He made his MLB debut in 2018 for the New York Yankees and has also played ...

. He started his Pirates career with the

Bradenton Marauders The Bradenton Marauders are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Bradenton, Florida, and play their home games at LECOM Park, which also serves as th ...

and was later promoted to the

Altoona Curve The Altoona Curve are a Minor League Baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve (but also alluding to the curveball, a type of pitch). The team plays in the Eastern League and is the Double-A affiliate of the ...

. 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 Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which open ...

. The Pirates promoted Brault to the major leagues to make his debut on July 5, 2016, at

Busch Stadium Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...

against the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

. He pitched four innings in which he gave up two runs (one earned) 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 (15 starts), he was 2–7 with a 3.91 ERA, and in eight games (seven starts) 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 (four starts) 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

. However, after compiling a 5.54 ERA through five starts, he was moved into the

bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...

. He ended the season with an ERA of 4.61 in 45 games (5 starts). 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 Donald Zackary Greinke ( ; born October 21, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2004 and has also played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers, Los An ...

for the major league lead in hits by a pitcher with 14. In 2020 for the Pirates, Brault pitched to a 3.38 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched. On April 1, 2021, Brault was placed on the 60-day injured list with a left lat strain. He made his 2021 Pirates debut as the starter against Milwaukee on August 4. The Pirates designated Brault for assignment on November 29, 2021.

Chicago Cubs

On March 16, 2022, Brault agreed to a major league contract with the

. However, on March 21, Brault's deal was converted to a minor league contract due to Brault suffering an injury setback. The minor league deal contained an invitation to Spring Training and a July opt-out clause. In 7 games for the Triple-A

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. The ...

, Brault struggled to a 12.00 ERA with 6 strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched. On July 16, 2022, Brault was selected to the active roster. He made 9 appearances for the Cubs, posting a 3.00 ERA with 8 strikeouts in 9.0 innings pitched. On August 24, Brault was placed on the injured list with a left shoulder strain, an injury that would ultimately shelve him for the remainder of the season. On November 10, 2022, Brault was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A. He elected minor league free agency the same day.

Spire City Ghost Hounds

On April 21, 2023, Brault signed with the

of the

. It was later announced that Brault would convert into a position player on a full-time basis.

Music career

, Brault majored in music performance with a vocal performance emphasis. On June 19, 2018, Brault sang "

The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...

" at PNC Park before the Pirates' game against the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

. On September 8, 2019, he repeated his National Anthem performance prior to a Pirates game against the

. 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 an album entitled ''A Pitch At Broadway'', which was released in 2020. On it, he sings covers of songs from noted

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

musicals, including selections from ''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

'', ''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'', ''

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...

'', and ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

''. Brault performed lead vocals on the 12-song album. He was accompanied on the album by drummers

Vinnie Colaiuta Vincent Peter Colaiuta (born February 5, 1956) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician in many genres. He was inducted into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 1996 and the ''Classic Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 2014. Colai ...

and

Kenny Aronoff Kenny Aronoff (born March 7, 1953) is an American session drummer. Early life Aronoff grew up in Stockbridge, Massachusetts He developed an interest in music at an early age and gravitated to the drums as "drumming was one hundred percent ene ...

, bassist

Leland Sklar Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. Sklar rose to prominence as a member of James Taylor's backing band, which coaleced into a group in its own right, The Section. This group of musicians so frequ ...

, guitarist

Tim Pierce Tim Pierce (born 1959 in Albuquerque) is an American session guitarist. He has worked for artists such as Joe Cocker, Crowded House, Goo Goo Dolls, Michael Jackson, Beth Hart, Roger Waters, Alice Cooper, Johnny Hallyday, Phil Collins, and the C ...

and keyboardist Jeff Babko.

Adam Pascal Adam Pascal (born October 25, 1970) is an American actor, singer, and musician, known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original 1996 cast of Jonathan Larson's musical '' Rent'' on Broadway, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the ...

and fellow Pirates player Josh Bell were special guests on the album. The album was produced by

Latin GRAMMY The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been r ...

-nominated producer, Loren Harriet, who also produced former

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

outfielder

Bernie Williams Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. (born September 13, 1968) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and a musician. He played his entire 16-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees from 1991 through 2006. ...

' two albums. In association with his album release, Brault appeared as a special guest vocalist with the

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The ''Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra'' (''PSO'') is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District, Pittsburgh, Cultural District. History The Pittsburgh Sy ...

for three concerts from February 7 to 9, 2020.

Personal life

In the baseball off-season, Brault resides in

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

, California. In 2018, he launched a podcast with fellow pitcher Trevor Williams called ''IMHO'', in which they and a guest, usually connected with baseball, rank items relating to a topic outside of baseball.

References

External links

Regis Rangers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brault, Steven 1992 births 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American singers Aberdeen IronBirds players Altoona Curve players American podcasters Arizona Complex League Cubs players Baseball players from San Diego County, California Bradenton Marauders players Chicago Cubs players Delmarva Shorebirds players Frederick Keys players Glendale Desert Dogs players Indianapolis Indians players Living people Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from La Mesa, California Pittsburgh Pirates players Regis Rangers baseball players Regis University alumni Singers from California West Virginia Black Bears players Grossmont High School alumni