Former UC Irvine baseball standout Bergman earns minor league award

Former UC Irvine baseball standout Christian Bergman received the Chuck Stevens Award as the Southern California resident who had the most outstanding minor league season in 2012.

Bergman, who pitched for the Anteaters from 2007 to 2010, received the award at the 88th annual Assn. of Professional Ballplayers of America’s dinner earlier this month.

Bergman posted a 16-5 record and a 3.65 earned-run average with the Modesto Nuts, a Single-A California League affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. He struck out 121 in 162 2/3 innings in 27 starts and was named California League Pitcher of the Year.

Bergman was 23-12 in four years at UCI, posting identical 9-3 marks his junior and senior seasons. The right-hander had 191 career strikeouts and walked just 53 in 281 1/3 innings. He helped the Anteaters reach the NCAA postseason all four years. He started a game in the 2007 College World Series.

— From staff reports