BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: Prospect Hot Sheet: June 27-July 5

Not enough of a prospect for the Hot Sheet, too young for Blast From The Past and too old for Helium Watch, it is a conundrum that we often face when putting together this list.

This week, the player that fits that bill is Dodgers righthander T.J. Nall. The 25-year-old moved into the Double-A Jacksonville rotation on May 28 and since then he has won all eight of his starts. In those eight starts, he has 77 strikeouts in 61 innings with a 1.33 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .167 against him.

An eighth-round pick in 1999 out of Schaumberg (Ill.) High, is having by far the most successful season of his career. The only other stop in his minor league career that would approach it would be his 43 innings of relief for low Class A South Georgia in 2002 when he posted a 0.63 ERA. He didn't make Hot Sheet because he is not enough of a prospect (short righthander with fringe-average stuff) at this point, but his performance warrants mentioning.

This week's list is headlined by Homer Bailey, whose performance gets better and better as he moves up the minor league ladder. We also worked in Edinson Volquez, who finally cracked the list.

Remember, this is not a rewrite of our Top 100 prospects list. This is simply a snapshot of which prospects are currently riding the biggest hot streaks.

If you have any comments, feel free to email Chris Kline or Matt Meyers with your kudos or complaints.

THE HOT SHEET

1. Homer Bailey, rhp, Reds (Double-A Chattanooga)

The reports on Bailey over his first three starts--all wins--in the Southern League have been as impressive as his numbers there. In 17 innings, the 20-year-old righthander has yet to allow an earned run, given up seven hits, struck out 22 and walked just four. His fastball has been in the 96-97 mph range, topping out at 98, and his 12-to-6 curveball has been a major asset. The big news concerns his changeup, which has developed into an average to above-average offering this season.

2. Yovani Gallardo, rhp, Brewers (Double-A Huntsville)

Sure, he dominated the high Class A Florida State League, but has kicked it into second gear in his first two starts after being promoted to Double-A. He's worked seven innings in each, whiffing 16, walking two and holding opponents to a .167 average.

3. Brandon Wood, ss, Angels (Double-A Arkansas)

Wood started off slowly in the Texas League this season, but has upped his average to .300 for the first time since April 27 after another solid week. The 21-year-old shortstop now has 30 doubles to go along with his 18 bombs, but those strikeouts remain high. In 307 at-bats, Wood has fanned 100 times. The good news, however, is he's walked 40 times, compared to just 48 in 2005.

4. Carlos Gonzalez, of, Diamondbacks (High Class A Lancaster)

Gonzalez has come on like gangbusters as he hit .424 in June with two homers. He is working on improving that power, though, as he is 5-for-13 in July with three homers.

5. Edinson Volquez, rhp, Rangers (Triple-A Oklahoma)

His last start was mediocre, but he earns a spot for his incredible June performance. Consider this a Hot Sheet "makeup call." In June he was 1-0, 0.84 with just nine hits allowed in 32 innings.

6. Shin-Soo Choo, of, Mariners

It was a big week for Choo as he went 18-for-31 with three homers for Triple-A Tacoma before getting promoted to the big leagues to replace the injured Jeremy Reed.

7. Jay Bruce, of, Reds (Low Class A Dayton)

The Boss is back and there are a list of numbers that prove he belongs. Was it is his .520 average last week? His .404 average in June? Maybe it is the fact that he leads the Midwest League in slugging, extra-base hits and slugging? You choose.

8. Scott Elbert, lhp, Dodgers (High Class A Vero Beach)

Elbert ended a stellar month of June with a flourish, striking out a career-high 13 in 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball against Daytona last week. That effort improved him to 2-1, 1.01 with a 40-13 K-BB ratio in 27 June innings. He followed it up with four scoreless in his first start of July. And he's still just 20 years old in the Florida State League.

9. Donald Veal, lhp, Cubs (High Class A Daytona)

Veal, a second-round pick a year ago out of an Arizona community college, pitched his way out of the Midwest League with a 5-3, 2.69 first half at Lansing, and he's been even better in three starts since a promotion to Daytona. Veal has yet to allow an earned run in his first 18 2/3 Florida State League innings, and he picked up his first high Class A win with seven innings of three-hit ball Tuesday against Brevard County.

10. Reid Brignac, ss, Devil Rays (High Class A Visalia)

Visalia played seven straight games against Stockton, sandwiched around the all-star break, and Brignac posted multiple hits in six of those contests. He also was named the outstanding player for the California League in the all-star game against the Carolina League even though he made two errors and was picked off a base--at the plate, he went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

IN THE TEAM PHOTO

Whit Robbins, 3b, Twins (Low Class A Beloit): Pro ball has yet to prove difficult for this Georgia Tech alum. He skipped short-season ball and in his first seven games as a pro he is hitting .500/.545/.846.

Matt Sulentic, of, Athletics (Short-season Vancouver): No high schooler had better stats then Sulentic this year, and he keeps hitting as a pro and against mostly college kids to boot. He has begun his career 16-for-46 and is seventh in the Northwest League in hitting.

Howie Kendrick 2b, Angels (Triple-A Salt Lake): Never known for his power, Kendrick exploded for nine home runs in June. If this pop is for real, he could be better then we thought. Frightening.

Deolis Guerra, rhp, Mets (Low Class A Hagerstown): The 17-year-old is being given more innings and is coming on strong. In his last six starts he is 3-1, 1.77 with a 21-8 strikeout-walk ratio in 30 innings.

Dana Eveland, lhp, Brewers (Triple-A Nashville): It was a fine week for the husky lefthander as Eveland allowed only one run in 13 innings while striking out 20.

Matt Maloney, lhp, Phillies (Low Class A Lakewood): Like Volquez, his last start was rough by his standards, but his June was too good to be ignored. He was 3-0, 0.33 for the month in 27 innings. The one blemish was 14 walks.

Shairon Martis, rhp, Giants (Low Class A Augusta): After no-hitting Panama in the World Baseball Classic, Martis posted a 5.91 ERA through May. Since then, he is 2-1, 1.50 and has allowed only one run in his last 19 innings.

Delmon Young, of, Devil Rays (Triple-A Durham): Gives a licking, and keeps on hitting. Young has shaken the rust off after his 50-game suspension and went 13-for-24 last week while hitting his first home run of the season.

Jesse Litsch, rhp, Devil Rays (Double-A New Hampshire): He struck out five and walked none in his first Double-A start as he continued to demonstrate the fine strikeout-walk ratio he had in the Florida State League, where it was 80-8.

Michael Bowden, rhp, Red Sox (Low Class A Greenville): He outdueled Greensboro's Sean West last night and has allowed just two earned runs in his last 26 innings.

Chris Iannetta, c, Rockies (Triple-A Colorado Springs): Raked at Double-A and hasn't stopped in the Pacific Coast League. Since being promoted on June 26, Iannetta is 11-for-27 with a pair of homers.

Jamie D'Antona, 3b/1b, Diamondbacks (Double-A Tennessee): Currently riding a 16-game hit streak, D'Antona is putting his down year in 2005 behind him and re-establishing his prospect status for the Smokies.

Billy Butler, of, Royals (Double-A Wichita): Four multi-hit games in his last seven, Butler continues to mash just 181 miles away from Kansas City.

Adam Loewen, lhp, Orioles (Triple-A Ottawa): Sure, he's coming down from the big leagues and tasting Triple-A for the first time in his career, but Loewen could be back in Camden Yards soon after going 1-0, 0.00 with a 17-2 strikeout-walk ratio in 14 innings with the Lynx.

Mark Reynolds, if/of, Diamondbacks (high Class A Lancaster): The versatile Reynolds leads the Cal League with 22 homers and is second in batting (.335) and RBIs (73). He has seven bombs during his current 18-game hitting streak.

THE NOT-SO-HOT SHEET

Jared Lansford, rhp, Athletics (Low Class A Kane County)

Though he threw a no-hitter and flirted with another, his peripherals indicated he was bound for a rude awakening. He got it in June when he was 2-3, 7.66 with 11 strikeouts and 10 walks. On the season, his ERA is still a respectable 3.76, but he has 30 walks and 29 strikeouts in 65 innings.

Zach Simons, rhp, Rockies (Low Class A Asheville)

As the Old Cowboy in The Big Lebowski said, "Sometimes you the eat bear, and sometimes, the bear, well, he eats you." Simons has been getting eaten lately. Eaten alive. Opponents hit .415 off of him in June and he has allowed at least five runs in five of his last six starts.

Dustin Nippert, rhp, Diamondbacks (Triple-A Tucson)

The gopher ball has been his undoing of late as he has allowed four in his last two outings. Beyond that, he has surrendered 21 runs in his last 21 innings.

Felix Pie, of, Cubs (Triple-A Iowa)

The wheels have come off for Pie, whose 4-for-31 week is just a symbol for his struggles since April. Coming out of the gate hot, it appeared Juan Pierre was just a temporary fixture in center field at Wrigley. However, Pierre can rest easy, as Pie is hitting just .227 since the start of May. During that time, Pie has struck out 64 times in 229 at-bats.

Gio Gonzalez, lhp, Phillies (Double-A Reading)

If you can say anything good about Gio's recent string of starts, it's that he hasn't lost the ability to strike batters out. Since June 1, Gonzalez has labored mightily, posting a 6.49 ERA with 18 walks in 34 and 2/3 innings. However, the stuff is there, as Gonzalez has struck out 40 batters. The main problem has been the longball, as Gonzalez has allowed 10 home runs during that streak, including at least one in his last eight starts.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Zack Greinke, rhp, Royals (Double-A Wichita)

Greinke, still just 22 and with 328 major league innings under his belt, tossed a two-hitter Monday night against Springfield to improve his season line to 3-1, 5.91. On the heels of four straight shaky starts, the Royals were hoping Greinke, formerly their No. 1 prospect and 14th-best in baseball entering the 2004 season, had turned a corner with his taming of the Cardinals. The righthander struck out the final three batters of the game and reportedly hit 95 mph in the ninth.

HELIUM WATCH

Steven Johnson, rhp, Dodgers (Rookie-level Ogden)

The son of ex-major leaguer Dave Johnson, Steven turned heads last spring when he beat Brandon Erbe in a contest of Maryland's top two prep arms. His senior spring included a perfect game, a no-hitter, two one-hitters and two two-hitters. Wooed away from Boston College after being selected in the 12th round, Johnson has been fantastic in the Rookie-level Pioneer League. In his last two starts, the righthander hasn't allowed a run in 13 innings, striking out 18 while allowing just 6 baserunners.