Minor League Baseball Update: Surrey picks up first award

The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level.

Elliot Surrey (Crescenta Valley High, 2012) Everett AquaSox pitcher: Perhaps the first of many accolades to come was earned by Surrey.

The Crescenta Valley High product was named the Northwest League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 27-July 3.

Surrey had three appearances out of the bullpen for the Everett AquaSox, the class-A short season affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.

In those outings, Surrey tossed six combined scoreless innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts and no walks and one save earned versus Spokane in an 8-5 victory on June 30.

The left-hander’s earned-run average has remained flawless as he’s yet to allow a run in eight appearances and 14 total innings pitched with 16 punchouts versus only two walks and two hit batters.

Surrey’s first career victory came in his most recent work, as he picked up a win in Everett’s 10-3 triumph over Spokane on Saturday.

Surrey entered in the fifth inning and tossed two innings, allowing no runs and three hits while fanning a season-high four batters.

Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) Albuquerque Isotopes pitcher: When exactly Bergman will make his next trip back the majors remains a mystery.

For now, the former Golden Knights standout remains with Albuquerque, the triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Bergman began the season with the Rockies and compiled a 1-3 record with a 5.89 earned-run average in nine games with 19 strikeouts and only four walks, but 12 earned runs in 18 1/3 innings.

Bergman’s stint with the big club was derailed when he suffered an oblique injury and was put on the disabled list in May.

According to the Denver Post, the Rockies initially planned for two rehabilitation starts for Bergman at Albuquerque before welcoming him back to Denver.

That plan changed as Bergman has now made four starts in the minors and owns a 1-2 record with 4.34 ERA over 18 2/3 innings. Bergman has allowed nine earned runs on 17 hits with 15 strikeouts versus six walks.

Bergman picked up his first minor league victory in two years Saturday when the visiting Isotopes defeated Las Vegas, 8-5.

Bergman allowed four runs (three earned) on two home runs and six total hits that accompanied two strikeouts and a walk.

Angel Rodriguez (Glendale Community College, 2013), Gulf Coast League Rays pitcher: After signing with the Tampa Bay Rays organization June 29, Rodriguez made his professional debut July 5 with the Gulf Coast League Rays, the franchise’s rookie ball squad.

It was a bit of a tough welcome as Rodriguez allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in 1 2/3 innings of relief in what was a 4-3 defeat for the Rays versus the Gulf Coast League Twins. Rodriguez picked up the loss as the Twins scored three runs in the eighth to rally from a 3-1 deficit.

The Cal State Northridge product fared better in his next appearance Saturday versus the GCL Orioles in a 7-6 victory in seven innings.

This time, Rodriguez tossed a scoreless 2/3 of an inning, while allowing two hits.

Those relief appearances have been the only two so far for Rodriguez.

Brandon Van Horn (St. Francis High, 2011): Arizona League Giants shortstop: Little by little, the former Golden Knights standout has begun to lift his average in his first professional action.

Van Horn was taken on the third and last day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft in June and made his debut on June 20, going one for two for the San Francisco Giants’ Arizona Rookie League club.

The infielder’s average dipped to .125 on June 30 after going 0 for four against the AZL Reds in a 1-0 defeat.

Since then, though, the shortstop has gone six for 21 (.286) in seven games with four runs batted in.

In his most recent action, Van Horn batted two for four with an RBI in the AZL Giants’ 6-3 win over the AZL Rangers on Monday.

For the season, Van Horn is batting .200 with five RBI, two runs and one double.