Left-hander Christian Friedrich, the Rockies’ first-round draft pick last year, was promoted from low Class A Asheville to high Class A Modesto and is scheduled to make his first start in the California League on Saturday at Inland Empire.

The 25th player taken overall last year, Friedrich went 3-3 with a 2.18 ERA in eight starts for Asheville with 15 walks and 66 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings. He allowed two homers and held opposing hitters to a .215 average.

Friedrich, who turns 22 on July 8, made his final three starts in 2008 at Asheville. He began his professional career at short-season Class A Tri-City after being drafted out of Eastern Kentucky University and signing for $1.35 million.

Friedrich flew Thursday night to Ontario, Calif., and will join the Modesto team in San Bernadino, Calif., where Inland Empire plays. He last pitched on Sunday and lost his final two starts for the Tourists, who are 17-29 and not very good defensively. In the two losses, Friedrich allowed seven runs, six earned, in 11 1/3 innings with four walks and 15 strikeouts.

The Rockies typically promote players about the time of the all star game in a particular league or June 23 in the case of the South Atlantic League. However, Friedrich’s move was triggered by the injury related promotion of right-hander Brandon Durden from Modesto, where he went 3-2 with a 2.93 ERA in eight games, to Double-A Tulsa where he will make his debut Friday.

Durden, who was in his third season at Modesto, will take the place in the Tulsa rotation of Andy Graham, who is out with a muscle strain in his upper back. Graham is 1-3 with a 7.11 ERA in 14 games, including four starts, the last on Saturday. He went into Tulsa’s rotation to replace Chaz Roe (1-0, 3.55 ERA), who suffered a strained left oblique May 7 and is expected to be back about the beginning of July.

Friedrich’s spot in the Asheville rotation will be taken by Juan Nicasio, 21. He was in extended spring training after going 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA last year at Tri-City, where he held opponents to a .229 average.