Minor League Baseball Update: Valenzuela starting to warm up in Tijuana
The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level.
Fernando Valenzuela Jr. (St. Francis High, 2000) Toros de Tijuana first baseman: In his first season with Tijuana, a member of the triple-A Mexican League, Valenzuela has had mixed results. Valenzuela, who also played at Glendale Community College before transferring to UNLV, is batting .225 (nine for 40) with five runs batted in through 24 games.
However, things have begun to turn around for Valenzuela. In his last 10 games, he’s batting .294 (five for 17) with four runs batted in. Valenzuela, a two-time Mexican League All-Star, had a two-run single in Tijuana’s 12-9 defeat against Rieleros de Aguacalientes on Sunday.
Valenzuela, 32, also had a run-scoring single in an 8-2 loss against Rieleros de Aguacalientes on May 14.
Through Thursday, Tijuana is 21-26 and in sixth place in the league’s Norte Division.
Alonzo Gonzalez (Glendale Community College, 2012) Dunedin Blue Jays pitcher: Gonzalez, a former All-Western State Conference South Division selection with the Vaqueros, has competed at two separate levels through the first two months of the season.
Gonzalez, a left-hander, began the season with the Lansing Lugnuts, the class-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. He went 1-0 with one save and posted a 3.09 earned-run average in 11 2/3 innings.
His victory came April 13 against the Fort Wayne TinCaps. In what has thus far been his best effort, Gonzalez struck out seven in three innings to help Lansing pick up a 9-1 win.
He notched a save April 23 against Fort Wayne. Gonzalez, 23, allowed one run and two hits and struck out six in four innings in Lansing’s 3-2 victory.
Gonzalez was then promoted to Dunedin, the class-A advanced club in the Florida State League, in late April. In five appearances with Dunedin, Gonzalez is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA. He’s struck out 17 in 10 innings before recently being placed on the disabled list.
His last appearance came May 14 against the Fort Myers Miracle. He yielded one run, two hits and three walks, but didn’t factor into the decision in Dunedin’s 6-3 defeat.
Overall, Gonzalez is 1-0 with one save and has a 4.15 ERA. In 21 2/3 innings, he’s allowed 20 hits, 13 runs (10 earned), three home runs, 13 walks and struck out 30.
Through Thursday, Dunedin is 19-28 and in last place in the league’s North Division.
Ryan Sherriff (Glendale Community College, 2011) Springfield Cardinals pitcher: The 25-year-old left-handed reliever, who helped Glendale college reach the state tournament in 2011, is currently on the disabled list.
Sherriff participated in two of the first three games of the season for Springfield, the double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Both came against the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Texas League.
On April 9, Sherriff allowed three runs, two hits and two walks in Springfield’s 9-4 defeat. He struck out two in an inning of work. Sherriff then went 1 1/3 innings April 11. He gave up one hit and one walk and struck out two in a 9-2 loss.
Sherriff is 0-0 with an 11.57 earned-run average.
Through Thursday, the Cardinals are 15-32 and in last place in the league’s North Division.
