The unveiling of the Top Prospect Performers page today provides a suitable backdrop to reflect on (and provide context for) the top game scores in the minors during the first half of the season. If you're not familiar with the game score metric, please see the Wikipedia entry before proceeding.

Here we divvied up pitchers by level, presenting a top 20 list for each full-season classification—but with a catch. Only pitchers who are age-appropriate for their level of competition were considered. That means that to qualify for one of the lists, a pitcher must meet (or be younger than) his classification's median age as of July 1 this year. The median cutoff ages are as follows: 26 for Triple-A, 24 for Double-A, 23 for high Class A and 22 for low Class A.

All performances up through Sunday, June 24, were considered. Lefthanded pitchers denoted with an asterisk (*). To qualify, a pitcher must either have started the game or thrown at least five innings in relief. The second clause sometimes triggers when minor league starters begin in the second inning (or later) in games in which rehabbing major leaguers start the game.

Youngest Pitcher: Only 22-year-old Marlins lefty Brad Hand can challenge the Diamondbacks' Trevor Bauer when it comes to youth. The third pick in last year's draft, Bauer doesn't turn 22 until January. In eight starts for Reno he went 4-0, 2.82 with 11.3 strikeouts and 4.4 walks per nine innings. Slated to make his big league debut on Thursday, Bauer leaves the minors as the overall leader in wins (11) and strikeouts (116).

Best Effort Not Reflected Here: 27-year-old Indianapolis lefty Jo-Jo Reyes (88 game score on May 7: 9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 8 SO, 1 BB).

Youngest Pitcher: Reds 21-year-old righty Daniel Corcino tossed the first eight innings of a Pensacola team no-hitter on June 16. He has survived the jump from low Class A to Double-A in style, going 3-4, 3.41 through 14 starts with 8.6 strikeouts and 4.5 walks per nine innings.

Two-Timers: The Royals' Jake Odorizzi (81 and 79 game scores) and the Athletics' Dan Straily (85, 81 and 79 game scores) both earned promotions to Triple-A following their fine pitching in the Texas League. Rockies lefty Edwar Cabrera (88 and 80 game scores) might have joined them for the second half but for the fact that such a promotion would place him in homer-happy Colorado Springs. He already has allowed a TL-leading 15 home runs with Tulsa.

Best Effort Not Reflected Here: 28-year-old Montgomery righthander Matt Buschmann (84 game score on May 11: 6 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 12 SO, 1 BB).

Youngest Pitchers: Four 20-year-olds have turned in top game scores in high Class A, three of who—the Rangers' Cody Buckel, the Nationals' Robbie Ray and the Phillies' Jesse Biddle—were 2010 draft picks out of high school who won't age until after the season. Diamondbacks lefty David Holmberg, drafted a year earlier in the second round, is the exception. He turns 21 on July 19, but he received extra credit for putting in his time in the California League and also for receiving a bump to Double-A, like Buckel.

Two-Timer: Arizona acquired both David Holmberg (84 and 80 game scores) and Daniel Hudson in its 2010 trade of Edwin Jackson to the White Sox. Though he's made three stats for Double-A Mobile, Holmberg still ranks third in the Cal League strikeout race (with 86), while also continuing to haunt the ERA (2.99, third) and WHIP (0.97, first) leaderboards.That's quite a turnaround from 2011, when he logged 13 starts for Visalia and finished with a 4.67 ERA and 1.51 WHIP.

Best Effort Not Reflected Here: 24-year-old Brevard County righthander Hiram Burgos (84 game score on April 24: 8 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 9 SO, 1 BB).

Youngest Pitchers: Does any organization identify and cultivate high-school arms quite like the Giants? Past success stories include Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Zack Wheeler, and now this year's Augusta squad features 19-year-old righthanders Kyle Crick (Sherman, Texas) and Clayton Blackburn (Edmond, Okla.), a pair of 2011 prep picks who are off to fine starts in full-season ball. Rangers lefty Victor Payano also is 19, and he's gone 5-3, 3.13 for Hickory despite issuing 5.0 walks per nine innings. His secret: Opponents have hit just .214 against him thus far.

Two-Timers: Clayton Blackburn (82 and 79 game scores) has shown spotless control all season for Augusta—he ranks third in the South Atlantic League in WHIP (1.09) and second in strikeout rate (10.3 per nine innings). Astros righty Nick Tropeano (81 and 79 game scores) has chewed through SAL competition with a solid fastball/changeup mix, ranking second in strikeouts (97) to Greensboro's Jose Fernandez and second in innings (87 1/3) to Lexington teammate Mike Foltynewicz.

• Best Effort Not Reflected Here: 23-year-old Lansing righthander Jesse Hernandez (83 game score on June 12: 8 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 8 SO, 1 BB).