14/05/2026 2 Minute Read

WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup star Brandan Bidois makes MLB debut

He became the 40th Australian player to reach the Big Leagues. Three Aussies are currently on MLB rosters, including Travis Bazzana, who hit his first home run on May 9, and Curtis Mead.

Right-handed pitcher Brandan Bidois became the 40th Australian Major League Baseball (MLB) player when he took the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Wednesday, May 13, against the Colorado Rockies. Colorado had a 6-4 lead and first baseman J.T. Rumfield extended it with a two-out home run. The Rockies added three runs on Justin Lawrence in the ninth on their way to a 10-4 win.

Welcome to the show, Brandan Bidois (2024 Scottsdale Scorpions).

Bidois made his debut tonight for the Pirates becoming their first Australian-born pitcher in Pirates history. In seven games (7.2 IP) with Scottsdale, Bidois had 14 strikeouts pic.twitter.com/J756S1vQF3
— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) May 14, 2026

Born in 2001 in Brisbane, Bidois starred for fourth-place Australia at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019. He started two games and pitched a combined 13 innings, allowing only two earned runs and striking out nine. Bidois earned the win against Japan in a crucial Super Round game, which gave the Aussies a pass to the bronze medal game.

After the tournament, Bidois signed for the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent. In 2020, he made his professional debut for the Brisbane Bandits in the Australian Baseball League (ABL). He played in the 2021 Florida Complex League.

After missing the 2022 season because of an injury, Bidois turned from starter to reliever and played at the Single-A level for the Bradenton Marauders in 2023. The Pirates promoted him to the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Class A advanced affiliate, in 2024.

In 2025, the right-hander went from Class A to Triple-A. He pitched 18 scoreless innings over 11 relief appearances. He allowed only five earned runs over 61 innings and received the Minor League Pitcher of the Year honours.

Before the callup, Bidois pitched 15 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis in 2026.

What made Bidois' debut special was also the fact that his mother flew from Australia to Pittsburgh to watch him play.

Brandan Bidois on his special moment knowing his mother made it from Australia in time to see him pitch: — From Eric Bowser in Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/GGWTEh6FFo
— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPghSports) May 14, 2026

Infielder Joe Quinn became the first Australian professional baseball player in 1884 and the first MLB player in 1901. Baseball Australia confirmed the list of all 40 Australian MLB players. Bidois became the third to join an active roster in 2026.

Curtis Mead (Washington Nationals) made his debut in 2023. He represented Australia in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, collecting the first hit of the tournament.

Travis Bazzana (Cleveland Guardians), who was Bidois' teammate at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019, debuted on April 28, 2026. He hit his first MLB home run on May 9 against the Cincinnati Reds.