This week we are catching up with former Waterloo Bucks infielder Michael Bertram. The Detroit Tigers drafted the Lexington, Kentucky native in the 39th round of the 2006 amateur entry draft. Since being drafted, Bertram has worked his way up through the Tigers farm system, starting in Rookie league and moving all the way up to the Double-A ball.

After being drafted 1126th overall in ‘06, Bertram played for the Tigers’ Gulf Coast League team. He played in 44 of their 50 games, and batted a .250, hit one homer, 23 RBI, and had eight stolen bases.

Bertram advanced to the Tigers Single-A team in the 2007 season. With the West Michigan Whitecaps, Bertram helped the Whitecaps take first place in the Midwest League, and later that season helped them win the league championship. Bertram saw action in four of West Michigan’s Midwest League playoff games, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a triple and three RBI. He played in 77 of the 140 games, batted .251; hit two homers, 32 RBI, and had two stolen bases.  In 2008, Bertram was promoted to the Lakeland Flying Tigers, and was named player of the week in the Florida State League on Aug. 18 after hitting .400 (10-for-25) with two doubles, four home runs and nine RBI in seven games. Bertram hit .285 with eight homers and 55 RBI in 102 games and led the Florida State League with eight intentional walks. Bertram finished the season batting .285 with eight homers and 55 RBI, and two stolen bases.

 
Bertram had a great 2009 season, starting the season off with the Flying Tigers, batting .281, and hitting 10 homer, and 47 RBI. Just after the middle of the season, Bertram was sent up to the Erie SeaWolves, Detroit’s Double-A team. Bertram finished the season on fire, playing the last 33 games with the SeaWolves, batting .285; hitting 8 homers, and 30 RBI. Bertram was also selected as an Eastern League player of the week on August 31.

Since his 2006 season, Bertram has a career hitting .272, 29 home runs, 187 RBI, 15 stolen bases, and has played in 338 games.

Bertram was a member of the Waterloo Bucks in ‘05 season. The University of Kentucky alumnus hit .246, four home runs, 29 RBI, had three stolen bases, and played in 63 games during his ’05 season with the Bucks.

Check waterloobucks.com every Wednesday for “Catching Up with the Bucks.”