Minor League Update: St. Francis High alum Christian Bergman putting up solid numbers in triple A

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

Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) pitcher, Colorado Springs Sky Sox: Bergman continues to see his promising career ascend. From being named the California League’s Pitcher of the Year in 2012 to being selected to participate in the Texas League All-Star Game last season, Bergman has seen his stock rise in a hurry.

Bergman, a former All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, has made the jump to Colorado Springs, the triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Bergman, a right-hander who was selected by Colorado in the 24th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, is 4-4 with a 3.84 earned-run average in 12 starts. In 75 innings, Bergman has struck out 48 and walked 14. He’s yielded 35 runs (32 earned) and 73 hits for Colorado Springs (26-34) of the Pacific Coast League.

In Bergman’s last appearance Tuesday, he went six innings to earn the victory in a 5-4 home win against the New Orleans Zephyrs. Bergman allowed two runs on 10 hits — including two solo home runs — and struck out five. He threw 83 pitches, 62 for strikes, and faced 27 batters to post his first win since April 28.

Bergman has had quite a bit of success pitching at home. Until he surrendered a home run to Mark Canha in the third inning on Tuesday, Bergman hadn’t allowed a run at home spanning 26 2/3 innings.

Bergman encountered a tough-luck stretch in May, when he finished 0-3. He pitched 40 2/3 innings during the month, striking out 25 and giving up 30 hits while posting a 2.21 ERA. Of significance, he didn’t receive any offensive support, as the Sky Sox failed to score a run in any of Bergman’s starts.

“It is bizarre,” Bergman told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “You stick around the game long enough you’ll see some weird things.”

Ryan Sherriff (Glendale Community College, 2011) pitcher, Springfield Cardinals: Sherriff began his professional career as a starter. He’s since adapted to his role as a reliever with Springfield, the double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The left-hander has been rather impressive for the Cardinals (28-32). He’s 1-1 with one save and a 1.50 earned-run average in 17 appearances. Sherriff has struck out 21 and walked 10 in 30 innings for the Cardinals, who compete in the Texas League.

Sherriff notched a save May 23 against the host Midland Rockhounds. He retired the side in order in the ninth inning to preserve a 1-0 victory.

In Sherriff’s last outing Thursday against the Arkansas Travelers, he pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Springfield’s 5-1 win.

Fernando Valenzuela, Jr. (St. Francis High, 2000) Leones de Yucatan designated hitter/first baseman: Valenzuela, who also played at Glendale Community College before transferring to UNLV, has put up some nice numbers through the first two months of the season.

Though things haven’t gone too well for Yucatan, a member of the triple-A Mexican League, Valenzuela has often been a bright spot. Yucatan is 17-35 and in last place in the eight-team Sur Division.

Valenzuela is batting .322 (56 for 174) with six home runs and 26 runs batted in. He’s recorded nine doubles and scored 15 runs in 49 games.

In his last 10 games, Valenzuela is hitting .250 (eight for 32) with seven runs batted in and three runs scored. He’s hit safely in seven of his last 10 games.

In a road game against the Piratas de Campeche on May 27, Valenzuela drove in a pair of runs to lead Yucatan to a 10-3 victory.

Valenzuela hit four home runs in May, his last coming May 18 in a 9-8 road loss against Guerreros de Oaxaca.
--

Follow Charles Rich on Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich .