BaseballAmerica.com: Prospects: Prospect Hot Sheet: May 7

See also: Previous Prospect Hot Sheet

No doubt the highlight of the last week was Devil Rays righthander Wade Davis' no-hitter against Palm Beach.

Davis threw 84 pitches in the seven-inning win, his second no-hitter in the last nine months. But for as hot as Davis has been--he's allowed just one run over his last 21 innings--Clay Buchholz and Yovani Gallardo have been hotter at higher levels.

Cardinals outfielder Colby Rasmus is starting to get rolling, as is Reds outfielder Jay Bruce. Evan Longoria has been Evan Longoria in Biscuit Land, and Mets outfielder Fernando Martinez is back lighting up the Eastern League.

And we have to give special props to Pirates righthander Bryan Bullington, who's making his first Hot Sheet appearance since . . . well, at least since 2003.

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 comments, email chriskline@baseballamerica.com.

1. Clay Buchholz, rhp, Double-A Portland (Red Sox)

Ascending as rapidly as any pitching prospect in baseball, Buchholz struck out 17 batters in 12 innings last week. He didn't issue a walk and allowed just two runs on seven hits. The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder has a 1.98 ERA and 35 strikeouts vs. 3 walks in 27 1/3 innings. Just nine of the 55 lefties Buchholz has faced have reached base, while he has struck out 20 of them. He's positioning himself as a strong candidate to start in Fenway this season.

2. Yovani Gallardo, rhp, Triple-A Nashville (Brewers)

Just 21, Gallardo is not showing his age in the PCL. After a 1-0, 1.92 week with 18-4 strikeouts-walks in 14 innings, Gallardo has wrestled the minor league strikeout (51) lead from the recently-promoted Tim Lincecum.

3. Wade Davis, rhp, high Class A Vero Beach (Devil Rays)

Davis extended his scoreless streak to 14 innings in dramatic fashion: by striking out six and walking one in his second professional no-hitter against Jupiter. The righthander has yielded just one run over his last 21 innings, lowering his ERA to 1.73--fifth-best in the Florida State League.

4. Evan Longoria, 3b, Double-A Montgomery (Devil Rays)

Hampered by a sore knee, Longoria took his first day off this season on Saturday. He came back Sunday and went 4-for-4 with his sixth home run of the season. Longoria is batting .333/.452/.578 with six home runs, giving him a total of 24 home runs in 350 professional at-bats.

5. Jay Bruce, of, high Class A Sarasota (Reds)

The 2005 first-rounder hit .410 with four homers and nine RBIs during a nine-game hitting that streak came to an end May 5.

6. Colby Rasmus, of, Double-A Springfield (Cardinals)

For the second straight season, Rasmus has shaken off an early-season slump and seems to be in a groove. After seeing his average plummet below .200, Rasmus is 14-for-32 over his past eight games with three home runs and seven RBIs.

7. Nate Schierholtz, of, Triple-A Fresno (Giants)

The 23-year-old Schierholtz raised his average 74 points and doubled his doubles total lasts week, while hitting an unbelievable .545/.559/.879. He led the PCL in average, slugging, hits (18), doubles (six) and extra-base hits (eight).

8. Brandon Hynick, rhp, high Class A Modesto (Rockies)

A nearly flawless navigation of the Cal League included a complete game, two-hit shutout against Inland Empire and an eight-inning three-hitter over High Desert. He finished with a combined 13 strikeouts in 17 innings.

9. Eulogio de la Cruz, rhp, Double-A Erie (Tigers)

The 23-year-old de la Cruz served notice of his prospectdom by tossing back-to-back 10-strikeout complete games in the EL. Along the way he surrendered three runs and a lone walk and now boasts an impressive 3.06 groundouts-flyouts ratio for the year.

10. Kevin Slowey, rhp, Triple-A Rochester (Twins)

Though he went 0-1 last week, Slowey posted a 1.92 ERA and fanned 11 in 14 innings. He did walk a batter, however, which doubled his season total--against 31 strikeouts. Slowey and Red Wings teammate Matt Garza are heating up with the weather.

11. Fernando Martinez, of, Double-A Binghamton (Mets)

After a .261/.329/.362 April, Martinez, 18, found his stroke in the EL, going 12-for-25 (.480) with four multi-hit games and four doubles last week.

12. Michael Bowden, rhp, high Class A Lancaster (Red Sox)

Another Red Sox prospect who is making batters earn their way on base, Bowden struck out 13 without issuing a walk in 12 innings last week. The 20-year-old allowed 11 hits and didn't give up a run. Bowden has a 1.62 ERA and 41 strikeouts vs. 7 walks in 39 innings.

13. Brandon Erbe, rhp, high Class A Frederick (Orioles)

Led all Carolina League pitchers with 11 strikeouts--a statistic slightly marred by four walks against Wilmington--to improve his season mark to 3-0, 2.57 with 26 strikeouts and 15 walks in 35 innings.

14. Will Inman, rhp, high Class A Brevard County (Brewers)

The 2005 third-rounder turned in his best outing of the season against Palm Beach by tossing seven shutout innings while striking out nine without yielding a walk and giving up just three hits.

15. Sean Watson, rhp, low Class A Dayton (Reds)

Continuing to prove that he's ready for a promotion to high Class A Sarasota, Watson dominated in both his starts last week. The 2006 second rounder struck out 19 in 12 innings last week, giving up seven hits and neither a run nor a walk. Watson has 42 strikeouts and a 1.69 ERA in 32 MWL innings.

16. Mike Megrew, lhp, Double-A Jacksonville (Dodgers)

Megrew improved to 3-1, 2.97 on the year with a two-win week. The 23-year-old allowed just two runs on nine hits in 12 1/3 innings last week, striking out 13 and walking four.

17. Bryan Bullington, rhp, Triple-A Indianapolis (Pirates)

He got a no decision his first time out, but Bullington has been unbeatable since, going 5-0, 0.96 overall. Last week he went 2-0, 0.00 and gave up seven hits in 14 innings--though he fanned just six.

18. Brandon Jones, of, Double-A Mississippi (Braves)

Jones is quietly putting together a fine season in the Southern League, hitting for average and power while showing off his speed (four steals, three triples). He's hitting .308 with a pair of homers, a double and a triple in May--though he's 0-for-1 on the basepaths.

19. Chase Headley, 3b, Double-A San Antonio (Padres)

Hit went 12-for-24 last week with two doubles and a home run. The Padres No. 6 prospect entering the season, Headley is batting .427/.506/.693 against righties and .387/.459/.642 overall.

20. Jeff Manship, rhp, low Class A Beloit (Twins)

Another college pitcher stuck in low Class A, Manship strung together two performances last week that have to have him close to a promotion. Notre Dame's ace this time last year, the 6-foot, 165-pounder struck out 17 in 14 innings, while giving up just one run on five hits and walking just one.

NOT-SO HOT

Chase Wright, lhp, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees)

Wright sports a Double-A ERA of 0.90, but that mark balloons to 7.36 at Triple-A and the majors, aided by 12 walks and 9 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings.

Greg Miller, lhp, Triple-A Las Vegas (Dodgers)

Miller went 1-0, 2.55 in April even while walking 16 in 17 2/3 innings. The high walk rate has remained, but the success has fallen away in May. In two starts, Miller has walked 12 batters and struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings, resulting in an 11.12 ERA.

Mitch Talbot, rhp, Triple-A Durham (Devil Rays)

Talbot failed to record an out in his last start, giving up 10 runs on seven hits while walking two. Though he allowed just one run in his previous start, Talbot's season ERA stands at 10.08, thanks to previous eight- and five-run outings.

Josh Fields, 3b, Triple-A Charlotte (White Sox)

He went 4-for-22 last week with one extra base-hit--a double. Fields has been caught stealing three times with only one successful attempt. After slugging 55 extra-base hits in 462 at-bats last season, Fields has eight through 104 at-bats this season.

Joey Votto, 1b, Triple-A Louisville (Reds)

Through 28 games (20 percent of the season) Votto is batting .196. He has more walks (21) than hits (18). The lefthanded batter went 3-for-18 with one extra base-hit last week. A 20-20 player last season, Votto is on pace to hit 15 home runs and steal 10 bases.

HELIUM WATCH

Chris Salamida, lhp, high Class A Salem (Astros)

A 13th-round pick last year, Salamida threw seven perfect innings against Kinston on Saturday. Throwing from a low three-quarters arm angle, Salamida's fastball sat at 88-90 all night, mixing in a plus changeup and slider. On the season, Salamida is 1-3, 3.95 in 27 innings.

John Whittleman, of, low Class A Clinton (Rangers)

2005 second-rounder proving he can hit in his second full season at Clinton: In 88 at-bats, the 20-year-old is hitting .341/.438/.602 with four homers and 16 RBIs.

Jared Goedert, 3b, low Class A Lake County (Indians)

Smells like Kevin Kouzmanoff. A hard worker who isn't flashy but makes all the plays on the corner, Goedert is hitting like crazy in the SAL. In 92 at-bats, he's hitting .392/.513/.772 with 10 home runs.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Cory Keylor, of, Double-A Portland (Red Sox)

A 2001 14th-round pick of the Orioles, Keylor played the last two seasons at Bowie before signing his trade to the Red Sox (for veteran backstop Alberto Castillo). The Eastern League has been a piece of cake for the 27-year-old so far, as he's hitting .333/.356/.524.

Tripper Johnson, 3b, high Class A Lynchburg (Pirates)

Another player picked off the Orioles' scrap heap, Johnson is hitting .323/.400/.462 in 93 at-bats for the Hillcats.

Richie Gardner, rhp, high Class A Sarasota (Reds)

A staple of Reds organization reports, Gardner is making his way back and finally making news on the mound this season. The 25-year-old is 4-1, 1.96 in 37 innings.