Double-A Tulsa shortstop Chris Nelson has a torn ligament in his right wrist and appears headed for season-ending surgery. He was scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday but opted to postpone it and seek a second opinion.

The Rockies first-round draft pick in 2004, Nelson, 23, went back to Tulsa after a poor season there last year. He injured his wrist sliding on May 8. Nelson returned on May 19 and played the next three days but his wrist was still sore. Nelson underwent rehabilitation before finally undergoing an MRI exam.

In 29 games with Tulsa, Nelson is hitting .280 with four home runs and 17 RBI. Last season with the Drillers, Nelson suffered a broken hamate bone and was limited to 73 games. He hit .237 with three homers and 42 RBI and a .324 on-base percentage but then performed well in the Arizona Fall League, giving both Nelson and the Rockies hope he would rise from Tulsa to Triple-A Colorado during the 2009 season.