Bruin was selected by the Houston Dynamo with the 11th overall pick of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. He made his professional debut on March 19, 2011, in Houston's first game of the 2011 MLS season, a 1–0 loss to the Philadelphia Union. On April 10, Bruin scored his first professional goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps to seal a 3–1 victory. Bruin netted his first professional hat-trick in a 4–1 win against D.C. United on April 29. On July 30, he suffered a knee injury during a 3–1 win over the Seattle Sounders, causing him to miss over 5 weeks. He ended the regular season with 25 appearances, 5 goals, and 1 assist, helping the Dynamo finish 2nd in the Eastern Conference and qualify for the playoffs. Bruin made 3 substitute appearances in the playoffs as Houston reached MLS Cup 2011, where they lost 1–0 to the LA Galaxy, with Bruin not appearing in the match.