Minor League Update: Christian Bergman spending time on DL in Tulsa

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

Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) Tulsa Drillers pitcher: Though Bergman remains on the 60-day disabled list with the Colorado Rockies, the former All-Area Baseball Player of the Year is continuing to stay in game shape while pitching for the Rockies’ double-A team.

The right-hander was called up by Colorado on June 7 from the triple-A Colorado Spring Sox and made three starts for the Rockies. In his last appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 20, Bergman, 26, was struck in the left hand by a line drive. He was placed on the disabled list and is slated to come off it by the end of August.

Bergman, the California League Pitcher of the Year in 2012 and a Texas League All-Star last season with Tulsa, continues to try to get back on track with the Drillers while eyeing a possible return to the Rockies. Since joining Tulsa, Bergman is 0-1 with a 3.00 earned-run average. He’s struck out five, walked five and allowed eight hits in nine innings.

In Bergman’s latest appearance, he pitched well in a loss. Bergman went six innings and allowed one run on five hits and struck out three in Tulsa’s 3-0 home loss against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Bergman threw 77 pitches, including 47 for strikes.

In Bergman’s first start with Tulsa on July 29, he went three innings. He struck out two and walked three in Tulsa’s 7-2 home loss against the Springfield Cardinals.

With the Rockies, Bergman is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA in three starts. He’s struck out 10 and walked two while allowing five home runs in 15 innings.

Fernando Valenzuela Jr. (St. Francis High, 2000) Leones de Yucatan first baseman: Valenzuela, who attended Glendale Community College and UNLV, is enjoying one of his best stretches of the season. He’s hit safely in eight of his last 10 games and has registered multiple hits in five games.

In that stretch, Valenzuela is batting .410 (16 for 39) with one home run, two doubles, seven runs batted in and four runs scored.

Valenzuela, 32, had another fine effort Tuesday for Leones de Yucatan of the triple-A Mexican League. He finished with three hits, scored a pair of runs and drove in a run in Yucatan’s 8-2 road victory against Delfines de Ciudad del Carmen. Valenzuela had a run-scoring single in the first inning to give Yucatan a 1-0 lead. He added a third-inning single and a double in the fifth.

Valenzuela hit a solo home run Saturday for Yucatan in a 2-0 win.

Through Tuesday, Valenzuela was batting .318 (99 for 311) with eight home runs, 28 runs and 50 runs batted in for Yucatan (44-58).

Kelson Brown (La Cañada High, 2006) Altoona Curve infielder: Brown, a former All-Rio Hondo League and All-Area selection, continues to receive plenty of time while playing for Altoona, the double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The second baseman has registered at least one hit in five of his last 10 games. Brown finished with a pair of hits and drove in one run Saturday to help Altoona earn a 7-6 win against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. He notched a run-scoring double in the sixth inning to give the Curve a 6-3 lead.

On Friday, Brown collected two hits and drove in a run against Richmond in a 7-3 victory. He had a run-scoring single in the third to give Altoona a 1-0 lead.

Through Wednesday, Brown is batting .288 (23 for 80) with three doubles, four runs and six runs batted in.

The Curve is 50-68 in the league’s Western Division.

Kevin Swick (La Cañada native) Arizona League White Sox infielder: The USC product has struggled lately and hasn’t played since July 29 for the Chicago White Sox’s Rookie Arizona League franchise. Through Tuesday, the third baseman was batting .157 (eight for 51) with eight runs and one run batted in.

Swick put together a three-game hitting streak in mid-July. He collected five hits in 11 at-bats and walked twice. His best outing in that stretch came July 21 against the Giants. Brown had a single in the third and sixth innings.

Swick was selected in this year’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in the 22nd round (648th overall).

The White Sox were 4-5 in the league’s West Division heading into Wednesday’s game against the Indians.