But Bergesen's reputation as a major-leaguer in the making did not begin this season - or even in 2007, when he made his first all-star game appearance as a member of the South Atlantic League champion Frederick Keys. Rather, it began to form while he was still at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, Calif., and trying to deal with the pressure of performing in front of a large contingent of major league talent evaluators. Fortunately for Bergesen, he had some assistance in handling that pressure.

"Especially during my senior year, with three months left in the school year (it was the most hectic)," Bergesen said. "I had a lot of...