Minor League Update: Christian Bergman trying to get back in sync on mound

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

Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) Colorado Springs Sox pitcher: In his last two starts with Colorado Springs, the triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies in the Pacific Cost League, Bergman has tossed at least six innings. Bergman, a former All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, is looking at the possibility of returning to the Colorado Rockies following three big league outings earlier in the season.

He’s scheduled to come off the major league 60-day disabled list by the end of August after being hit by a line drive against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 20. Since the injury, Bergman pitched for the double-A Tulsa Drillers before returning in early August to Colorado Springs, where he began the season.

The right-hander had been called up by Colorado on June 7 from Colorado Springs. Bergman, who was selected the California League Pitcher of the Year in 2012 and named to the Texas League All-Star Game last season, appears to be regaining his stamina with each outing in Colorado Springs. Since returning to Colorado Springs in early August, Bergman is 1-1 with a 4.30 earned-run average. He’s struck out 12, walked four and yielded 23 hits in 17 1/3 innings.

He took the loss against the host Fresno Grizzlies on Tuesday, as Bergman (5-5 overall with Colorado Springs) went six innings, surrendering four runs (three earned). He gave up nine hits, struck out five and walked two in a 100-pitch effort in a 5-0 defeat.

Bergman, who was drafted by the Rockies in the 24th round out of UC Irvine with the 470th overall pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and helped St. Francis reach the CIF Southern Section Division III championship contest in 2006, had a better performance in his previous start against the Sacramento River Cats on Aug. 13. He scattered four hits and allowed one run in seven innings in Colorado Springs’ 4-2 road win. Bergman didn’t give up an earned run, struck out four and walked one. He made 88 pitches, including 55 for strikes.

He had a rocky outing Aug. 8 against the visiting Omaha Storm Chasers, allowing eight runs (all earned) and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Bergman appeared in line for the loss, but Colorado Springs took Bergman off the hook after it rallied from an 8-4 deficit to post a 10-9 victory in 12 innings.

With Colorado, Bergman is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA. In 15 innings, he struck out 10 and walked two while allowing five home runs.

Michael Noteware (Glendale Community College, 2011) Gulf Coast Yankees2: Noteware continues to do well in the bullpen for the Gulf Coast League Yankees2, a rookie ball affiliate of the New York Yankees. The right-hander, who inked a free agent contract with the Yankees in June, has been a bright spot while sharing the closer’s role.

Through Wednesday, Noteware, who played at Glendale college from 2010-11 and earned All-Western State Conference South Division recognition before transferring to Lewis-Clark State in Idaho, is 3-0 with five saves in 18 appearances. In 27 innings, Noteware has struck out 27 and walked five.

On Tuesday, Noteware allowed one run and one hit and struck out two in two innings to pick up the save in the Yankees’ 4-3 victory against the Gulf Coast Pirates.

Noteware encountered a bit of difficulty in an appearance against the Gulf Coast Astros on Aug. 14, which resulted in his first blown save of the season. He came into the game in the ninth inning looking to protect a one-run lead, but the Astros scored a run to knot it at 6. Noteware eventually picked up the win when the Yankees scored in the 10th to earn a 7-6 victory. He collected two strikeouts against the Astros.

The Yankees are 32-21 and in first place in the league’s Northeast Division.

Fernando Valenzuela Jr. (St. Francis High, 2000) Leones de Yucatan first baseman: Valenzuela, who also played at Glendale Community College and UNLV, just concluded another fine season in the triple-A Mexican League. Leones de Yucatan wrapped up the season Aug. 14 with a 6-4 road win against Tigres de Quintana Roo. Though Valenzuela didn’t play in the game, he finished up the season strong by hitting safely in his last six games and nine of 10 overall.

In that stretch, Valenzuela, 31, had six multiple-hit games and batted .381 (16 for 42). He had four straight two-hit games. In his final game Aug. 13, Valenzuela had a single in Yucatan’s 5-3 defeat against Quintana Roo.

Overall, Valenzuela finished hitting .321 (109 for 340) with eight home runs and 50 runs batted in. He also collected 19 doubles, two triples, 30 runs and a .459 slugging percentage. It marked the third time in the past four seasons in which Valenzuela hit at least eight home runs. He was selected to the league’s all-star game for the second time in the past three seasons.

Yucatan (46-64) finished seventh in the league’s eight-team Sur Division.
--

Follow Charles Rich on Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich .