Pitchers of the Week
Kyle Gibson, Rochester
2-0, 1.42 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 1 HBP, 3 BB, 18 K
Kyle Gibson, the Twins' top pitching prospect, demonstrated his capabilities over two starts this week. Pitching against visiting Syracuse on Monday, Gibson went five scoreless innings, fanning eight and limiting the Chiefs to four hits and a pair of walks. On Sunday at Lehigh Valley, he carried a perfect game into the seventh inning. Although Scott Podsednik led off that frame with a triple, Gibson ended up allowing just two runs on three hits, a hit batsman and a walk over 7 2/3 inning. He struck out 10 and posted his third win of the season.
Pacific Coast League
Matt Palmer, Salt Lake
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 3 BB, 11 K
After Eric Junge grabbed this award last week, Matt Palmer becomes the second consecutive Bees pitcher to take it. The Angels farmhand allowed seven runs on nine hits and four walks over 2 1/3 innings in his last time out, but came back with a vengeance in this week's start. He struck out 11 Redbirds on Wednesday, starting by whiffing the side in the first inning. He held Memphis to four hits and three walks over 6 2/3 scoreless frames, and Salt Lake's bullpen finished the shutout. It made for Palmer's first PCL win in five starts this season.
Eastern League
Shaeffer Hall, Trenton
2-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 13 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 11 K
A 25th-round pick by the Yankees in 2009, Shaeffer Hall has steadily worked his way through the New York system. The peak of his ascension occurred this past week when he won twice in two starts, fanning 11 while walking no one. On Monday in Reading, the Kansas University product pitched six shutout innings allowing just five hits while fanning four. Six days later in Portland, Hall pitched an inning more, again striking out four and walking no one. This time, he did allow eight hits and a pair of runs -- one earned -- but the pair of strong starts was enough to earn top pitching honors in the EL.
Southern League
Matthew Moore, Montgomery
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 11 K
The 21-year-old Matthew Moore had a season-high 11 strikeouts over six shutout innings against Jacksonville on Thursday. It was the sixth time Moore has struck out exactly 11 in his career. His career high is 13. After leading all of Minor League Baseball with 208 strikeouts last season, The 2007 eighth-round pick of the Rays is third in the Minors with 76 strikeouts in 2011. That's the most for any pitcher at Double-A or Triple-A.
Texas League
Buddy Bauman, Northwest Arkansas
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 7 K
Buddy Bauman had been working out of the Naturals bullpen for most of the season -- having only made one prior start -- when he turned in a gem at Frisco on Wednesday. The Royals prospect allowed a double in the second and a single in the sixth but otherwise kept the RoughRiders quiet for six shutout innings. He struck out seven without issuing a free pass, and his strong start turned into a victory for Northwest Arkansas and Bauman, his first in Double-A.
California League
Brandon Maurer, High Desert
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 9 K
Brandon Maurer made the jump up to Class A Advanced ball from the Midwest League for a May 19 outing, and in his second Cal League start, the Mariners prospect showed he has no problem hanging at the new level. Facing the visiting Modesto Nuts on Wednesday, Maurer went eight shutout innings, scattering three hits. He did not walk a single batter, and he struck out nine. Over his last four starts -- going back to two with Clinton -- the Mariners prospect has whiffed 32 hitters over 26 innings.
Carolina League
Joseph Wieland, Myrtle Beach
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 0 BB, 9 K
After Rangers prospect Joe Wieland struck out 10 Blue Rocks and gave up two runs over 7 2/3 innings last week, he came back strong with a dazzling start this week. Going up against Wilmington for a second straight outing, he proved that previous matchup was no fluke. Wieland scattered five hits over seven shutout innings, refusing to issue a walk while he methodically piled up nine more punchouts. Not only does Wieland lead the loop in ERA (1.53), share a piece of the league lead in wins (five) and rank first in strikeouts (70), but he's walked only three batters in 59 innings this year.
Florida State League
Matthew Harvey, St. Lucie
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 10 K
So far, pro hitters haven't found much to like about Matt Harvey. The Mets' first-round pick in last year's Draft, Harvey picked up his first Florida State League Player of the Week award last month, and he's generally been solid since. Starting against Dunedin on Friday night, Harvey gave up a leadoff walk followed by a single before settling into form. He struck out four of the next five to come to the plate and went seven scoreless innings. He allowed just three hits throughout the game, and the first-inning base-on-balls was the only one he surrendered.
Midwest League
Jose Macias, Burlington
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 2 BB, 7 K
An 18th-round pick of Oakland from last year's Draft, Bronx native Jose Macias cruised in his first start of 2011. Pitching against Beloit on Tuesday, he set the first nine batters he faced down in order, and he faced the minimum not allowing a hit through five innings. Macias gave up his second walk to start the sixth but struck out each of the next two hitters. He then allowed the Snappers' first (and, during Macias' tenure, only) hit, an infield single. The 21-year-old righty struck out seven over six shutout innings, earning a win.
South Atlantic League
Brandon Cumpton, West Virginia
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 1 HBP, 1 BB, 8 K
Brandon Cumpton, a ninth-round pick out of Georgia Tech by the Pirates in last year's Draft, has won each of his last five starts, but his most recent was his best. The 22-year-old right-hander beat the Shorebirds at Delmarva, going 6 2/3 scoreless innings and permitting just three hits and one walk while striking out eight. Those eight punchouts were a career high for Cumpton, and this was also his second longest pro outing -- he went one inning more at Lexington on May 19.