BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: Prospect Hot Sheet: July 10-July 16

Normally we wouldn't be talking about the Dog Days of Summer until August, but as we're under the oppressive heat wave at the BA World Headquarters that currently has much of the country under a stranglehold, those days have come a little earlier this year.

And as these days continue to get hotter, Red Sox infielder Dustin Pedroia seems to be heating up with the weather.

Though he did not quite crack the Hot Sheet, he has been a force at Triple-A Pawtucket over the last two months.

After an average April and May, Pedroia turned it around to hit .324 in June and has been on fire this month, hitting .440 (22-for-50), and he is walking over twice as much as he's striking out.

Defensively, the Red Sox' top pick in 2004 has been steady at both shortstop and second base--he's made just five errors in 362 chances combined between the two positions, and all five have come at short.

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. James Loney, 1b, Dodgers (Triple-A Las Vegas)

Loney has been knocking on the top spot's door for a couple of weeks now, and he has finally gotten there. The 22-year-old doesn't have great bat speed but clearly has learned to adjust to the skills he has. After going 6-for-11 in a short week, Loney is now hitting .489 in July and .391/.434/.577 on the season. Even before Howie Kendrick was promoted to the big leagues, Loney was leading the minors in hitting.

2. Will Inman, rhp, Brewers (Low Class A West Virginia)

After missing a month with a sore right shoulder, Inman has been impeccable since his return. The 19-year-old has been brought back slowly and has thrown 21 innings in five outings since his return, but he has yet to allow a run while fanning 26 and lowering his ERA to 1.13.

3. Scott Elbert, lhp, Dodgers (Double-A Jacksonville)

Sure, he might have walked eight over his first 11 Double-A innings, but Elbert has emerged as the Dodgers' top pitching prospect and one of the elite pitching prospects in the minors this season. After going 5-5, 2.37 with 97 strikeouts in 84 innings at high Class A Vero Beach, Elbert was promoted to Jacksonville, where he won his first two starts as a Sun while striking out 15. Overall, Elbert has allowed just 59 hits in 95 innings this season.

4. Hunter Pence, of, Astros (Double-A Corpus Christi)

Hooks manager Dave Clark calls Pence a "true impact player," and even without tablesetter Ben Zobrist (who was dealt to the Devil Rays last week) hitting in front of him, Pence was still having an impact the Texas League. Pence hit .440 last week and hit two more homers. He currently is tied for fourth in the minors in that department with 22.

5. Justin Upton, of, Diamondbacks (Low Class A)

In the same week we get reports about his lethargic play, Upton goes off. The 18-year-old went 7-for-16 with four doubles and seven walks and is now hitting .281/.365/.431.

6. Anthony Swarzak, rhp, Twins (High Class A Fort Myers)

Swarzak has been left behind in the Florida State League by Matt Garza and Kevin Slowey, who were both promoted, but Swarzak is starting to pitch like he's ready to join them. After posting 5.40 ERA in June, Swarzak has allowed only one earned run in 19 July innings over three starts.

7. Troy Patton, rhp, Astros (High Class A Salem)

Patton has won his last five starts for the Avalanche to climb toward .500 on the season (he's 6-7). He has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last nine starts, dating back to May 24.

8. Stephen Marek, rhp, Angels (High Class A Rancho Cucamonga)

The highest paid draft-and-follow from the 2004 draft was dazzling for low Class A Cedar Rapids before earning a promotion to the Cal League. Marek allowed five runs in his last seven starts for the Kernels and was 10-2, 1.96 overall with 100 strikeouts and 24 walks in 119 innings.

9. Gaby Hernandez, rhp, Marlins (High Class A Jupiter)

Despite losing two of his last three starts, Hernandez hasn't allowed an earned run since June 26, and is 1-2, 0.00 with a 16-3 strikeout-walk ratio in 20 July innings. After scuffling through April with a 6.48 ERA, Hernandez has lowered that number consistently over the last three months, down to 3.24 through 111 innings.

10. Shane Robinson, of, Cardinals (Low Class A Quad Cities)

It was a good week to be nicknamed Sugar Shane. The original (Shane Mosley) TKOd Fernando Vargas on Saturday, while Sugar Shane Robinson went off for Quad Cities. The fifth-rounder out of Florida State was 13-for-24 on the week with four multi-hit games.

IN THE TEAM PHOTO

Alexi Casilla, ss, Twins (Double-A New Britain): As soon as Casilla came over to the Twins from the Angels--even-up--for lefthander J.C. Romero, he made a lasting impression on the Minnesota brass in spring training. After starting out at high Class A Fort Myers, Casilla was promoted to New Britain last week and hit safely over his first five games, going 7-for-18 (.389) with a pair of steals.

Collin Balester, rhp, Nationals (high Class A Potomac): The Nationals' top pitching prospect has gotten better every month in the Carolina League, posting a 7.94 ERA in April, 5.68 in May, 3.91 in June and 1.38 so far in July. He has allowed just four earned runs over his last four starts (23 innings) and has not allowed more than three earned in any of his last nine starts, dating back to May 16.

Yovani Gallardo, rhp, Brewers (Double-A Huntsville): Scouts weren’t impressed with Gallardo’s stuff at the Futures Game, and he wasn't that great in his last two starts at Huntsville, walking seven in 11 innings. But since he was promoted to Double-A, Gallardo is carrying an 0.73 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 24 innings. His ERA for the year is a sterling 1.76.

Tyler Greene, ss, Cardinals (Low Class A Quad Cities): The Georgia Tech product is still striking out a little too much, but eight homers in 58 at-bats since his demotion is impressive. If he can replicate it at a higher level, we'll find him a spot in the top 10.

Thomas Diamond, rhp, Rangers (Double-A Frisco): Diamond has won his last four starts since John Danks joined Edinson Volquez in Triple-A, leaving Diamond behind. He has a 1.86 ERA and a 19-5 strikeout-walk ratio in 19 innings in July.

Wade Leblanc, lhp, San Diego (short-season Eugene): After a rough first few of outings, the 2004 college Freshman of the Year had two sterling performance last week. He struck out 11 over eight innings while allowing one run on three hits. Roll Tide.

Jacoby Ellsbury, of, Red Sox (Double-A Portland): He's hit safely in all five games since being promoted to Portland. Six hits in his last two games lifted Ellsbury's average in Double-A to .450, and he has three steals in three attempts.

Blake Hawksworth, rhp, Cardinals (Double-A Springfield): Finally healthy this season after having shoulder surgery in 2004, Hawksworth had his best start since being promoted to Double-A in his last outing, allowing a pair of runs and whiffing eight over seven innings. His strikeout rate is up from earlier this season in the high Class A Florida State League where he struck out just 55 in 84 innings, going 7-2, 2.47 overall. Let the trade rumors begin.

Ryan Harvey, of, Cubs (high Class A Daytona): Hit a grand slam and a three-run double in the same inning in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader. Seven-game hitting streak has raised his overall average from .202 to .223.

Jeremy Papelbon, lhp, Cubs (short-season Boise): One of the few pitchers in professional baseball with a lower ERA than his older brother Jonathan. Threw another 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief last week and has not allowed a run in 17 pro innings.

Brett Sinkbeil, rhp, Marlins (Low Class A Greensboro): The Missouri State product did not allow an earned run in four of his five starts at short-season Jamestown and has already been promoted to the SAL, where he debuts tonight.

Jason Hammel, rhp, Devil Rays (Triple-A Durham): Hammel was on the Not-So-Hot Sheet last week, but makes the photo this week for throwing 8 1/3 no-hit innings last night to combine with Juan Salas on a no-hitter.

Carlos Villanueva, rhp, Brewers (Triple-A Nashville): Villanueva makes the list for much the same reason as Hammel--being a part of a no-hitter. The differences were Villanueva only went six innings and issued the only walks three Sounds pitchers allowed all night, but it was also just his first Triple-A start after spending the last month in the big leagues. At Double-A Huntsville this season, Villanueva went 4-5, 3.75 in 62 innings.

John Drennen, of, Indians (Low Class A Lake County): While less-hyped than the other high school outfielders drafted in the first-round in 2005, Drennen has been just as productive. He gained national attention for homering off Roger Clemens in a rehab start and went 8-for-19 last week and is hitting .326/.414/.481 overall.

Fred Lewis, of, Giants (Triple-A Fresno): After a poor 2005 season, Lewis is putting his tools back to work. After hitting .563 last week, he is hitting .277/.382/.456 on the season.

THE NOT-SO-HOT SHEET

Travis Wood, lhp, Reds (Low Class A Dayton)

July has not been kind to Wood who has allowed 14 earned runs in 11 innings over three starts and opponents are hitting .380. It is a sharp contrast to June when they hit .167 and he was 2-0, 2.57.

Juan Morillo, rhp, Rockies (Double-A Tulsa)

He has lost three of his last four starts, and has allowed a whopping 21 runs in his last 16 innings. He actually has more walks over that span than innings pitched--17 to 16.

Bobby Brownlie, rhp, Cubs (Double-A West Tenn)

He was terrible in a starting role (1-5, 7.67) so the Cubs moved the 2002 first-rounder to the pen in late June, where he hasn't been much better. The 25-year-old is 1-3, 4.87 overall as a reliever and is 0-2, 10.13 in eight July innings.

Tyler Herron, rhp, Cardinals (Rookie-level Johnson City)

The 19-year-old Herron, who was taken in the supplemental first round in 2005, still has not recorded a win as a pro. He’s following a 0-3, 5.62, campaign in the Appalachian League with a 0-4, 6.38, effort this season. The one positive has been a reduced home run rate. Herron has given up two in 24 innings this year, compared with 11 in 52 innings last year.

Henry Sanchez, 1b, Twins (Rookie-level Elizabethton)

A rough first season for the 2005 supplemental first rounder (.229/.300/.343) in the Appalachian League? No problem. Continued struggles for the power-hitting Sanchez, 19, in the Midwest League, where he hit .202/.272/.345 with four home runs and 69 strikeouts in 168 at-bats to begin the season? Well, he’s still young. Now back in the Appy League hitting .220 with one home run, it just hasn’t been a good start to his career.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Josh Hamilton, of, Devil Rays (short-season Hudson Valley)

At this point you've heard all the stories about his misadventures, but for at least he is playing again. At 25, he is way too old for the New York-Penn League, but he hit safely in five games last week and is hitting .323/.364/.484.

HELIUM WATCH

Jonathan Barratt, lhp, Devil Rays (High Class A Visalia)

A fifth-round pick in 2003, Barratt upped his stock pitching in the hitter-happy Cal League by racking up 13 strikeouts in as many innings last week. Overall, the 21-year-old lefty is 4-3, 3.76 in 67 innings this season and already has a nine-inning complete game shutout under his belt.