Week 12 Little Hero of the Week

Lucas Giolito, rhp, Nationals
Team: high Class A Potomac (Carolina)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO

The Scoop: The No. 1 pitching prospect in baseball at midseason turned it up another notch this past Wednesday, tossing seven hitless and walk-free innings in relief of rehabbing Aaron Barrett. His only blemishes were two hit batters. The owner of two plus pitches in his fastball and curveball (and a potential third in his changeup), Giolito has allowed only one earned run over his last 19 1/3 innings and has struck out 20 against seven walks in that span.

Runner Up
Manuel Margot, cf, Red Sox
Double-A Portland (Eastern)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .333/.400/.556 (9-for-27), 3 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 4 SO, 2-for-3 SB

The Scoop: After a fantastic first half marred only by injuries, Margot jumped to Double-A Portland this past week and kept on producing. The five-tool talent with a knack for contact—he struck out just 15 times in 46 games at high Class A Salem—socked his first home run and even earned his first intentional walk at his new level during the Sea Dogs’ marathon game on Thursday night. A gifted center fielder, he is quickly rising up the ranks.

Week 11 Little Hero of the Week

Robert Stephenson, rhp, Reds
Team: Double-A Pensacola (Southern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 2.57, 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 SO

The Scoop: This is why you don’t give up on a 22-year-old hard-thrower, no matter how wild he may seem at times. Stephenson has walked five or more batters on three different occasions this year, including a six-walk start just two weeks ago, but when he’s on, he’s dominant. This is his third double-digit strikeout start of the year.

Runner Ups

Mark Appel, rhp, Astros
Team: Double-A Corpus Christi (Texas)
Age: 23.
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: Nothing has been easy for Appel. He didn’t sign the first time he was a first-round pick. His 9.74 ERA in high Class A Lancaster last year was truly nightmarish and even this year, while he’s been better, there have been plenty of hiccups with three starts where he gave up more earned runs than innings pitched. But he’s a month removed from his last poor start and has rightfully earned a promotion to Triple-A Fresno.

Marcos Diplan, rhp, Brewers
Team: Rookie-level Helena (Pioneer)
Age: 18
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 2.25, 12 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 15 SO

The Scoop: Acquired in the offseason in the trade that sent Yovani Gallardo to the Rangers, Diplan signed with Texas just less than two years ago for $1.3 million. He’s a small righthander, yes, but he brings big stuff to the table, including a fastball that in the past has touched as high as 95 mph. He pairs the pitch with a curveball that flashes above-average and a changeup. In his first two starts with Helena, Diplan generated 15 strikeouts in a dozen innings.

Tim Anderson, ss, White Sox
Team: Double-A Birmingham (Southern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .500/.500/.778 (9-for-18), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Will Anderson’s approach work at higher levels? He’s already shown he can make the important Double-A leap, batting .311/.335/.418 in 65 games. Yet his free-swinging approach limits his on-base skills (he has just nine walks) and cuts into his ability to impact the ball. He has solid-average raw power but only one home run. He’s still a premium athlete with plus speed, so his biggest believers think he can make the necessary adjustments to his approach.

Week 10 Little Hero of the Week

Michael Conforto, lf, Mets

Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .417/.462/.625 (10-for-24), 4 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Kyle Schwarber is getting much-deserved attention as a 2014 first-round pick who raked in the minors and is already having success in the big leagues, but the Mets have to be elated with their 2014 first-rounder. Conforto hasn’t slowed down since the Mets promoted him to Double-A at the end of May, batting .393/.500/.639 in 17 Eastern League games. That’s no surprise, given his nice lefty stroke, plate discipline, ability to use the whole field and above-average raw power. He does not stand out on defense, but he has everything you want in a player who can hit in the middle of the lineup.

Runner Up

A.J. Reed, 1b, Astros

Team: high Class A Lancaster (California)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .560/.676/.960 (14-for-25), 11 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBIs, 8 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Reed this week hit for Lancaster’s second cycle of the season, but it’s his overall body of work that’s been even more impressive. He paces all minor leaguers with a 1.034 OPS this season, and he leads or is tied for the lead in the Cal League with home runs (17), on-base percentage (.433) and slugging (.605). Reed is a polished hitter and, because he plays first base, he will need to keep up exactly what he’s doing to find his way into an everyday spot in the major leagues.

Week 9 Little Hero of the Week

Michael Conforto, lf, Mets

Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .400/.538/.700 (8-for-20), 7 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 6 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: The top two college bats in the 2014 draft class have lived up to expectations so far. The Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber has ranked among the best hitters in the minors this year, and Conforto has earned a promotion to Double-A with a solid start at high Class A St. Lucie. The jump to the Eastern League has done nothing to slow down Conforto, who has hit safely in 9 of his first 11 games, and he’s also finding it easier to hit for power—he had four extra-base hits this week—now that he’s left the stifling humidity of the Florida State League.

Runner up

Stryker Trahan, c, Diamondbacks

Team: low Class A Kane Couty (Midwest)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .421/.400/1.105 (8-for-19), 5 R, 1 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBIs, 0 BB, 8 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Trahan led the Midwest League with 26 extra-base hits through June 10, while ranking 12th in the minors with 12 home runs. The D-backs bumped him to high Class A Visalia the very next day, and he went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in his California League debut. As powerful as Trahan’s first half has been, though, he has not advanced to this point in a linear fashion. The 2012 first-rounder put up a tame .790 OPS in the Rookie-level Pioneer League in 2013, then weathered a position change to right field and a demotion to short-season ball in 2014. Trahan clearly caught up with the speed of the Midwest League as he repeated the league this season, with improved balance and swing plane at the plate going a long way toward that success.

Week 8 Little Hero of the Week

Robert Stephenson, rhp, Reds
Team: Double-A Pensacola (Southern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 2 GS, 15 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 17 SO
The Scoop: Stephenson entered the year as Cincinnati’s No. 1 prospect, a ranking that was more a testament to his stuff and upside than his 2014 results. He missed bats last year, but he was also missing the strike zone, which resulted in him getting tagged for a 4.74 ERA in Double-A. The Reds had Stephenson repeat the Southern League this year, and things only seemed to be going backwards for him.
By mid-May, Stephenson had a 5.45 ERA and had completely lost his mechanics, including one start where he got lit up for six runs and didn’t make it out of the first inning, plus another where he walked seven in 6 1/3 innings. Now, things are starting to click for Stephenson, who’s done a better job of repeating his delivery and pounding the strike zone in his last two starts. He still has a mid-90s fastball, a putaway curveball and a changeup that could develop into an average pitch, all the stuff to be a frontline starter if he can keep filling up the strike zone.

Runner up (7 of the top 12 on the hot sheets were Heroes this week)
Rookie Davis, rhp, Yankees
Team: high Class A Tampa (Florida State)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.50, 12 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 16 SO
The Scoop: Armed with a three-pitch mix of mid-90s fastball, mid-70s curveball and a changeup, Davis has made a run up the Yankees’ pitching-prospect list. A moose of a man at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, Davis’ progress in 2015 continued this week, when he made two starts, including one against Dunedin in which he struck out 10 hitters. His 58 strikeouts this year have him in a three-way tie for third place in the Florida State League, and he should get a chance to test out his arsenal against Double-A hitters in the second half.

Mauricio Dubon, 2b/ss, Red Sox
Team: low Class A Greenville (South Atlantic)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .429/.500/.679 (10-for-25), 11 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 5-for-5 SB
The Scoop: Without the hype of his fellow infielders, Dubon has slowly but surely made a name for himself. He’s been featured in Helium this year, and now he’s made multiple Hot Sheet appearances. And for good reason. He sports an .786 OPS for the season, has stolen 15 bases in 17 chances and has played solid defense at both shortstop and second base. It’s anything but a downgrade when either Yoan Moncada or Javier Guerra need a day off.

Cody Bellinger, 1b/cf, Dodgers
Team: high Class A Rancho Cucamonga (California)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .400/.464/.880 (10-for-25), 8 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO
The Scoop: With a home run on Thursday, Bellinger tied Astros prospects Brett Phillips and A.J. Reed for the California League lead with 29 extra-base hits. Of course, the Houston duo plays half its games in Lancaster, one of the friendliest parks for hitters in the minors. Bellinger does not, which makes his breakout year all the more impressive. (The irony here being that Bellinger actually hit that Thursday home run on the road in Lancaster.) He also ranks among the league leaders with 43 RBIs, 45 runs and a .571 slugging percentage.

A.J. Reed, 1b, Astros
Team: high Class A Lancaster (California)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .320/.469/.760 (8-for-25), 6 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 5 BB, 8 SO
The Scoop: It was a good week for the Astros’ 2014 college bats, as you’ll see below. Reed, the former Kentucky two-way stud and 2014 College Player of the Year, has fully transitioned to pro ball, showing the kind of power the Astros envisioned when they popped him in the second round. Reed still is learning his way around the first-base bag and is limited defensively, but his power-and-patience combo has the Astros drooling.
Derek Fisher, lf/cf, Astros
Team: high Class A Lancaster (California)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .320/.414/.920 (8-for-25), 10 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 16 RBIs, 3 BB, 9 SO, 4-for-5 SB
The Scoop: In truth, Fisher made this list with one monumental day early in the week. The rest was just gravy. Part of the Jethawks’ trio of college colossuses—colossi?—along with A.J. Reed and J.D. Davis, Fisher kicked off his time in high Class A with three homers. Two of those blasts were grand slams, and he added a double, good enough to help him total 12 RBIs. Fisher, a supplemental first-round pick from Virginia, is a pure hitter with plenty of potential to hit for average and power, but he’ll need to improve his outfield defense before he projects as a regular in the major leagues.

Lucas Giolito, rhp, Nationals
Team: high Class A Potomac (Carolina)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 SO
The Scoop: Maybe every top-end pitching prospect should stay at their team’s extended spring training complex for a month. Giolito and fellow touted righty Reynaldo Lopez broke camp late this spring and have pitched brilliantly since. The former’s latest outing featured nine punchouts over five, two-hit innings. Want to know how nasty Giolito has been over the course of his season? Of the 82 outs he has recorded, 38 come via the strikeout (46 percent), and he’s fanned one-third of batters faced overall.

Week 7 Little Hero of the week

Sandber Pimentel, 1b, Athletics

Team: low Class A Beloit (Midwest)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .333/.391/.905 (7-for-21), 5 R, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 2 BB, 5 SO

The physical lefthanded hitter has muscled his way onto the prospect map with a loud full-season debut at Beloit. Pimentel’s nine home runs place him in a tie for the Midwest League lead, while his .530 slugging percentage also ranks him among the league leaders. His emergence, combined with that of shortstop and teammate Yairo Munoz, will go a long way toward replenishing an Athletics system that has lost Addison Russell, Billy McKinney and Daniel Robertson in the past calendar year.

Week 6 Little Hero of the Week

Bradley Zimmer, cf, Indians

Team: high Class A Lynchburg (Carolina)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .500/.593/.864 (11-for-22), 9 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The No. 21 overall selection in the 2014 draft, Zimmer has thrived in his first taste of high Class A, and this week he put up a monster 1.457 OPS. Splitting time with Clint Frazier in center field, Zimmer has shown an impressive array of tools. He’s hit for average (.302) and power (his seven homers lead the Carolina League) while showing speed (19 stolen bases) and a strong batting eye. That kind of diverse skill set will make him an asset no matter which outfield spot he calls home.

Week 5 Little Hero of the Week

Sandber Pimentel, 1b, Athletics

Pimentel signed with the Athletics for $160,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2011. He had showcased as an outfielder at the time and had a strong arm, but he was a slow, awkward runner, so Oakland moved him to first base.

Pimentel’s bat remains his calling card, but he spent three seasons in the Dominican Summer League. Following the 2014 season, the A’s brought him to Arizona for their instructional league, where he made a strong impression, and he continued to hit well enough in spring training that the organization skipped him over their short-season affiliates and sent him straight to low Class A Beloit.

Despite skipping two levels, Pimentel is having the best year of his career, batting .311/.403/.509 with 15 walks, 30 strikeouts and a career-best four home runs in 30 games. The lefthanded batter has a hit-first, power-second offensive profile, but the increased pop this season is an encouraging sign for a player who’s value is going to be entirely driven by what he does at the plate.

— Ben Badler

Week 4 Little Hero of the Week

The Little Her of the week:
Rafael Devers, 3b, Red Sox
Team: low Class A Greenville (South Atlantic)
Age: 18
Why He’s Here: .500/.500/1.050 (10-for-20), 7 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 0 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Devers doesn’t turn 19 until the offseason, but that hasn’t stopped him from tearing up the South Atlantic League. He ranks among the league leaders in average (.353) and slugging (.518) and already has more multi-hit games (10) than hitless games (seven). Devers’ bat has the potential to be special, and he’s got the arm to play third base, but scouts are split on whether he’ll eventually outgrow the position and move across the diamond to first base.

Runner ups
Noah Syndergaard, rhp, Mets
Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.20, 2 GS, 15 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 18 SO

The Scoop: Syndergaard on Thursday put together perhaps the game of the year for a pitcher. Not only did he fire eight innings of two-run ball with eight punchouts and no walks, but he also finished a triple short of the cycle at the plate. (Bonus points for logging a 72 game score while toeing the rubber in Albuquerque.) Oh yeah—he struck out 10 over seven shutout innings the start before that. Syndergaard has worked to a 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio this year, and he’s done so in one of the least pitcher-friendly environments in baseball.

A.J. Reed, 1b, Astros
Team: high Class A Lancaster (California)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .385/.433/1.000 (10-for-26), 7 R, 1 2B, 5 HR, 13 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO

The Scoop: The reigning College Player of the Year enjoys his time in the California League. The two-way standout from Kentucky clubbed five home runs this past week, including a three-homer game with nine RBIs on May 6. He’s been a bit of a three true outcome player thus far, with more than 49 percent of his plate appearances ending in a walk (16.7 percent), strikeout (25.8 percent) or home run (0.49 percent). Reed leads the league in walk rate and ranks second in isolated slugging (.316).

Lance McCullers Jr., rhp, Astros
Team: Double-A Corpus Christi (Texas)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: 1-1, 1.64, 2 GS, 11 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 HBP, 5 BB, 16 SO

The Scoop: OK, so McCullers isn’t the prospect to see even on his own Double-A team, at least not until the Astros promote Carlos Correa. Nevertheless, McCullers has overpowered Texas League hitters. With an ERA of 0.72, he has 37 strikeouts in 25 innings, mixing a mid-90s fastball with a wicked breaking ball to put hitters away. The control is still a work in progress, but that too is trending in the right direction.

Week 3 Little Hero of the Week

Bradley Zimmer, cf, Indians
Team: high Class A Lynchburg (Carolina)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .545/.615/.727 (12-for-22), 6 R, 4 2B, 3 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: The 21st overall pick in last year’s draft, Zimmer has yet to meet a real challenge in pro ball while showing off five-tool ability. He aced the short-season New York-Penn League last year and has zoomed to a hot start in the Carolina League this April. Zimmer leads the circuit in hitting (.357), home runs (four), on-base (.452) and slugging (.586), while spending time in both center and rigth field.

also having great weeks was


Noah Syndergaard, rhp, Mets
Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 SO

The Scoop: Syndergaard had by far his best outing of the season against Albuquerque on April 27. The big righthander is blessed with some of the best pure stuff in the minors, and consistency remains the only box he needs to check before becoming a viable option for the major league club, which doesn’t need pitching reinforcements at this point.

Lance McCullers Jr., rhp, Astros
Team: Double-A Corpus Christi (Texas)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 SO

The Scoop: Mark Appel isn’t the only Astros pitcher thrilled to put high Class A Lancaster in his rear-view. A back injury may have worsened McCullers’ below-average control in 2014, but his four-inning, no-walk outing this week is the first time he’s worked that long without issuing a free pass since a June 2013 start at low Class A Quad Cities. His 94-96 mph fastball and power breaking ball give him one of the best one-two punches in the minors, and he’s put his weaponry to good use in 2015 in now allowing an earned run through 14 innings.

Raimel Tapia, cf, Rockies
Team: high Class A Modesto (California)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .316/.391/.789 (6-for-19), 5 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Tapia tapped into the favorable hitting conditions at Lancaster and High Desert this week to club four extra-base hits, including two home runs. Nicknamed “Straight-Ball Tapia” for his ability to hit a fastball but not much with a bend in it, he has nevertheless started well at Modesto, hitting .321 with 10 doubles and 17 strikeouts in 19 games.

Week 2 Little Hero of the Week

9. Dilson Herrera, 2b, Mets

Dilson HerreraTeam: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .441/.472/.647 (15-for-34), 7 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 K, 2-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Everything is going right for the Mets right now. They have the best record in baseball and a franchise-best 11-game winning streak. And they have one of the most talented teams in Triple-A, which has provided the depth needed to survive injuries to Travis D’Arnaud, David Wright and Bobby Parnell. But the Mets’ success might slow down Herrera’s return to the big leagues. If the Mets had struggled, second baseman Daniel Murphy would likely be a trade target. But now it’s hard to see that happening, which means Herrera will continue teaming with Matt Reynolds for one of the best middle infield combos in the upper minors. In 14 games this year, Herrera has nine multi-hit games.

Week 1 Little Hero of the Week

Manuel Margot, cf, Red Sox
Manuel MargotTeam: high Class A Salem (Carolina)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .409/.435/.773 (9-for-22), 6 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 0 SO, 2-for-2 SB
The Scoop: Margot is an at-times brilliant defensive center fielder with the routes and jumps to range farther than his above-average but not spectacular speed would seem to indicate. At the plate, he shows an advanced approach with gap power, but already he’s starting to show indications that he may grow into solid-average power down the road. It’s also hard not to notice Margot’s professional but enthusiastic approach to the game, which includes the charming trait of thanking the pitcher after he finishes his rounds of pre-game batting practice.

Runner Up
Trevor Williams, rhp, Marlins
Trevor-WilliamsTeam: Double-A Jacksonville (Southern)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.75, 2 GS, 12 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 14 SO
The Scoop: Williams drew the Opening Day assignment for Jacksonville after closing out the 2014 season with three Southern League starts. More of a control-oriented, groundball-generating starter in the past, he has seen his strikeout rate spike early this season with a sharper slider and more confidence in his ability to retire Double-A batters. Clearing that hurdle can be challenging, but Williams is one of the more cerebral pitchers in the Marlins system, so a quick ascension can’t be ruled out.

Week 12 Little Hero of the Week

MARC KRAUSS, RF DIAMONDBACKS Team: Double-A Mobile (Southern) Age: 24 Why He's Here: .520/.636/.760 (13-for-25), 3 2B, 1 HR, 11 R, 5 RBIs, 8 BB, 1 SO, 1 SB The Scoop: The Diamondbacks' second-round draft selection from 2009 appears to be regaining the swing that he had in his first two years of pro ball, during which he hit .304 and .302, respectively. Last season Krauss struggled in his first year at Double-A, batting just .242 with Mobile, but 2012 has been a different story. He ranks fifth among Southern League hitters with a .298 average and his 11 home runs have him tied for third. He also ranks among the league's leaders in hits, doubles and RBIs. The former Mid-American Conference player of the year was red-hot this past week, as evidenced by back-to-back three-hit performances on Wednesday and Thursday.

Week 11 Little Hero of the Week

KYLE CRICK, RHP GIANTS Team: low Class A Augusta (South Atlantic) Age: 19 Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 8 SO, 4 BB The Scoop: A supplemental pick in last year's draft, Crick has responded to an aggressive jump to the South Atlantic League. Still relatively new to pitching, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound righty has proved he has swing-and-miss stuff—his 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings ranks second in the league behind Greenville lefthander Henry Owens. Typical of Texas prep draftees, Crick's fastball sits easily in the low 90s and tops out at 97 mph. He's working on cleaning up his delivery and getting more on line to the plate, and while his walk rate (5.3 per nine) is an area for improvement, Crick is the best power arm in a system that usually knows what to do with them.

Week 10 Little Hero of the Week

Manuel Margot, cf, Red Sox: The international signing period opens on July 2, the first date when teams can sign 16-year-old foreign players. Nearly one year after signing Manuel Margot out of the Dominican Republic on July 2 for $800,000, the Red Sox have to be excited about what he might become. The 17-year-old Margot is hitting .325/.408/.625 in 49 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League, which isn't a surprise given reports from Dominican scouts that he was one of the better game hitters in last year's signing class, though he's shown some more power than expected. His eight stolen bases are tied for the most in the DSL, and he's yet to be thrown out. With his 70 speed, a plus arm, athleticism and defensive instincts, Margot has the potential to be a dynamic player for the Red Sox down the road.

Week 9 Little Hero of the Week

KYLE CRICK, RHP GIANTS Team: low Class A Augusta (South Atlantic) Age: 19 Why He's Here: 1-0, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 10 SO, 1 BB The Scoop: Crick is a big reason why the Greenjackets lead the South Atlantic League with 9 strikeouts per nine innings, and he enhanced his season rate—which now stands at 11.7 per nine—with the first double-digits strikeout performance of his pro career on Thursday. In the process he held first-place Greensboro to one hit in seven shutout innings. That's not to say that Crick, the 49th pick in last year's draft, hasn't hit any rough patches. He ran up an 8.10 ERA in his three starts prior to this week, failing to escape the fifth inning in any of them. However, Crick has learned from his intermittent struggles, telling The Augusta Chronicle: "When you're throwing more strikes people swing at them. Most of those (strikeouts) were accidents."

Week 8 Little Hero of the Week

Class A Augusta RHP Clayton Blackburn has pitched masterfully in his most recent starts, tossing 8 2/3 shutout innings in 1-0 Greenjackets win on Tuesday (he struck out six, walked one and allowed four hits) and taking a no-hitter into the seventh on May 29. All told, the Giants prospect has completed 22 consecutive scoreless innings. The 19-year-old Blackburn has shown better control in his full-season debut, walking 10 batters in 10 starts, than Augusta rotation-mate Kyle Crick .

Week 7 Little Hero of the Week

JOSE FERNANDEZ, RHP MARLINS Team: low Class A Greensboro (South Atlantic) Age: 19 Why He's Here: 2-0, 0.00, 2 GS, 12 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 20 Ks. The Scoop: It may not be Dylan Bundy's 0.00 ERA in the Sally League, but take that away and Jose Fernandez has been as good as a young pitcher can be expected to be in his first full pro season. The righthander improved to 5-0, 1.67 with a 12 strikeout, one-walk outing at Delmarva. Interestingly, it would have been a matchup against Bundy if not for Bundy's recent promotion to high Class A Frederick. Fernandez's latest gem came after his previous start was washed away by a rain delay—he had struck out three batters in the first. Thanks to Fernandez's 93-96 mph fastball and a nasty curveball, righthanders don't get much of a chance to do damage against him. He has allowed one extra-base hit all year to a righthander, a double by Cutter Dysktra.

Week 6 Little Hero of the Week

SP Barret Loux has been named little Hero of the week. He doesn't get the same fanfare that Profar does, but Loux is now 9-0, 2.50 and sports a 48-15 K-BB ratio in 50 innings. Drafted sixth overall by the Diamondbacks in 2010, in part because he accepted a below-market $2 million bonus, Loux saw that deal evaporate when he failed a physical. After MLB made him a free agent, he signed with Texas for $312,000. He has a ceiling as a No. 3 or 4 starter, and so far he's on course toward making that a reality.

Week 5 Little Hero of the Week

Josh Sale has been named Little Hero of the week. Sale just started his season last week week and is getting his 1st taste of full season ball, so far so good for the highest pick the Heroes have ever made in a draft. He hit .333 1HR 3RBI 4Runs and 5BB to only 3K's.