Pitchers of the Week

Here's a look at the top performers for the week ending May 24.

International League
Tommy Milone, Rochester
(2-0, 0.52 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 17 1/3 IP, 12 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 21 K)
The 28-year-old Twins left-hander is a repeat winner here, having won IL honors last week behind 14 1/3 scoreless innings since being demoted to Rochester in early May. He stretched that scoreless streak to 31 innings before allowing a home run in the ninth inning on Sunday. Over his past three outings, Milone has 32 strikeouts and zero walks, including a 13-strikeout performance against Durham on May 19.

Pacific Coast League
Duane Below, Las Vegas
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 3 K)
The 29-year-old last pitched in the Majors in 2013 but is making a strong case for a return, posting a 4-2 record with a 2.18 ERA in nine appearances (four starts) with the 51s. The southpaw has given the Las Vegas bullpen a breather, going nine innings in consecutive outings, including a shutout on May 19 and a one-run effort against Colorado Springs on May 25.

Eastern League
Richard Bleier, Harrisburg
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 7 K)
The left-hander dominated in his lone start last week, blanking New Britain over eight innings in a 1-0 win. Bleier has time in Triple-A on his resume, including earlier this year, when he posted a 2.93 ERA in four appearances with Syracuse. He also has five outings (four starts) with the Senators, posting a 2.48 ERA while inducing a ton of ground balls.

Southern League
Blake Snell, Montgomery
(1-0, 0.75 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 5 BB, 18 K)
The 22-year-old left-hander finally allowed his first run of the season on May 23, but he rebounded well by setting a career high with 12 strikeouts over six innings. Snell downplayed his interest in the 46-inning scoreless streak -- "I didn't really care," he told MiLB.com. The southpaw has a 0.17 ERA in nine appearances (seven starts) this season, and has struck out 66 batters in 52 innings. The Rays' No. 9 prospect has improved his command this year, something he credits to mental adjustments.

Texas League
Frank Lopez, Frisco
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 1/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 5 K)
RoughRiders manager Joe Mikulik called the left-hander "crafty" after Lopez blanked San Antonio over 6 1/3 innings in his Double-A debut. The left-hander was promoted last week after posting a 2.95 ERA in seven starts with Class A Advanced High Desert, striking out 43 and walking eight over 42 2/3 innings. "[He got] strike one with his fastball. He threw some breaking balls for strikes and his curveball was really good," Mikulik said. "Even full counts, he had confidence to throw the breaking ball. He threw it anytime, and it was pretty effective."

California League
Richelson Pena, High Desert
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 6 K)
Pena was nearly infallible in his lone start last week. He took a perfect game into the seventh inning that was ended amid a controversial error and a line-drive single. Pena has worked at least seven innings in three straight starts and has allowed just two earned runs in that time. He hasn't walked a batter since May 3 and owns a 33-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in seven appearances (six starts) with the Mavericks this season.

Carolina League
Adam Plutko, Lynchburg
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 2 BB, 10 K)
Plutko set a season high when he struck out 10 Salem batters in a 7-2 win on May 21. The right-hander dropped his ERA to 1.27 in eight starts with the Hillcats. In that time, he boasts an outrageous 47-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 49 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old is repeating the Carolina League after posting 4.08 ERA in 18 starts with Carolina last season. More results like this are likely to get the UCLA product bumped to Double-A at some point this season.

Florida State League
Jimmy Reed, Palm Beach
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 5 K)
Reed tossed the first shutout of his pro career last week, requiring just 85 pitches to shut out Clearwater in a nine-inning game. The 24-year-old left-hander has a 2.47 ERA in seven starts with the Cardinals, including a pair of complete games. The 2013 sixth-rounder out of Maryland has walked just four batters over 47 1/3 innings this year.

Midwest League
Jeff Thompson, West Michigan
(2-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 11 2/3 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 4 BB, 14 K)
The 2013 third-rounder out of Louisville busted out with a career-high nine strikeouts in his May 24 start against Dayton. He allowed just three hits and walked three in that outing, a 5-0 West Michigan win. Shoulder issues spoiled Thompson's 2014 season, but he's again healthy and has a 3.66 ERA in four starts this May. He has 22 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings during that span.

South Atlantic League
Jordan Montgomery, Charleston
(1-0, 0.79 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 11 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 15 K)
The Yankees' 2014 fourth-round pick was a standout at the University of South Carolina and has been schooling younger competition while pitching for another South Carolina team in the Class A South Atlantic League this year. On May 23, the left-hander blanked a talented Greenville team, allowing just two hits and striking out eight over seven innings. For the season, Montgomery has a 4-2 record and a 2.27 ERA, striking out 50 in 39 2/3 innings.