DETROIT, Mich. – Former Colorado State University Pueblo pitcher Beau Brieske made history here Saturday afternoon as the 6-foot-3 right-hander picked up his first career save in the Tigers 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Brieske, who was drafted by the Tigers in the 27th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, is in is second season pitching with the Tigers after making a rapid climb up the minor league ladder.
Against Tampa Bay, Brieske came into the game with two runners on base and two outs, and he faced one hitter, Isaac Paredes. Brieske would strike out Paredes on a head-high 1-2 fastball to preserve his first career save and seal the Tigers' 49th win of the 2023 season. Brieske replaced Tigers closer Alex Lange, who recorded the first two outs of the inning, but also walked three batters and throw 20 pitches.
This season, Brieske, who began the 2023 season on the 60-day injured list and was active from the injured list on July 8, is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances and one start. In nine innings of work, he has allowed 11 hits, three runs, three earned runs, while walking one and striking out 10. Brieske has a 1.33 WHIP and a 65 percent strike percentage.
In his two-year career pitching in the major leagues with the Tigers, Brieske is 3-6 with a 4.07 ERA as he has made 23 appearances and 16 starts. In 90.2 innings of work, he has allowed 84 hits, 42 runs, 41 earned runs, while walking 26 and striking out 64. He spent the 2022 season as a starter for the AL Central Tigers as he was 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA in 15 starts. He tossed 81.2 innings and recorded 54 strikeouts and walked 25. He had a 1.20 WHIP and opposing hitters batted .236 against him.
Brieske, who is a native of Glendale, Ariz., began his professional career in 2019 with the Tigers Gulf Coast League Rookie Team and then closed the 2019 season by pitching with the Class A Advanced Lakeland Tigers. In 2021, he pitched at both High A Central Midwest League West Michigan Whitecaps and Double A Northeast Erie of the Eastern League, before spending the 2022 season with Triple A International League Toledo Mud Hens.
In his minor league career, Brieske is 12-7 with a 3.20 ERA as he has made 47 appearances, including 27 starts. He has tossed one complete game, had one shutout, and recorded two saves in three save opportunities. He has tossed 157.2 innings in his minor league career and has allowed 123 hits, 62 runs, 56 earned runs, while walking 45 and striking out 178. His career minor league WHIP is 1.07.
He has been a two-time Pitcher of the Week, which both came in 2021 while pitching with West Michigan. In addition, he was named to the All-Star Game in 2021 in the Class A High Advanced Midwest League.
Prior to being drafted by the Tigers with the 802nd overall pick in 2019, Brieske pitched the 2019 season with the ThunderWolves' after transferring from Glendale Community College. During his junior season in 2019 with the Pack, Brieske started 14 games and went 7-5 with a 5.42 ERA and recorded 116 strikeouts over 79.2 innings of work and had a 1.59 WHIP as he walked just 27 batters.
The 116 strikeouts were the second-most in school history and the most by a Pack pitcher in 50 years. In addition, those 116 strikeouts led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and were 10th most in NCAA Division II. He fanned 13.10 batters per nine innings, which was 13th in Division II.
He was named a First-Team All-RMAC selection and collected two RMAC Pitcher of the Week honors. He also became just the third CSU Pueblo baseball player in school history to strikeout more than 100 batters in a season. He struck out 10 or more batters in six of his 14 starts, including a career-high 15 strikeouts in a win over Regis University on March 15. He was the first Pack baseball player to be drafted since Taylor Snyder was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 13th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Snyder, who was recently released by the Birmingham Barons on Aug. 1, 2023, has recorded 497 career hits, has scored 297 runs, hit 88 home runs, has had 297 RBI in 2,024 minor league at-bats.
