Pitchers of the Week

International League
Scott Elarton, Lehigh Valley
(2-0, 0.75 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 HBP, 4 BB, 8 K)
Before this season, the 36-year-old Elarton had not started a pro game since 2007. He hadn't pitched in a pro game since compiling an 8.24 ERA in 16 relief appearances for Charlotte. Back in the game after a chance encounter with Phillies GM Ruben Amaro last year, the 25th overall pick in the 1994 Draft is in the best shape of his career and has been lights-out for Lehigh Valley apart from a rough outing against Buffalo on April 25. The 6-foot-7 right-hander bounced back this week, allowing one run on seven hits in 12 innings and earning victories over Charlotte and Syracuse.

Pacific Coast League
Graham Godfrey, Sacramento
(2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 16 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 9 K)
Godfrey hasn't exactly overwhelmed PCL hitters -- he gave up 16 hits in 13 innings this week -- but only two of them went for extra bases, and the 27-year-old right-hander does not hurt himself with walks. After losing all three of his starts for Oakland in April, Godfrey is a perfect 3-for-3 with the River Cats and has allowed just one earned run in 20 innings. Though struggling with left-handed hitters, who are 17-for-39 against him, Godfrey has dominated righties, who are just 3-for-36. He's now 17-3 in his last 21 Triple-A starts.

Eastern League
Steven Wright, Akron
(1-0, 0.59 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 15 1/3 IP, 11 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 5 BB, 11 K)
After posting a 5.98 ERA in eight appearances with Akron last season, Wright has allowed no more than one earned run in any of his six outings this year, compiling a 1.13 mark over 40 innings. Wright, who reached Triple-A as a conventional pitcher in 2009, has been experimenting with a knuckleball over the last few seasons and now uses it for the majority of his pitches. On Sunday the 27-year-old held host Bowie to five singles for his first career nine-inning shutout. At this rate, the Mets' R.A. Dickey may not be the Majors' sole knuckleballer for long.

Southern League
J.C. Sulbaran, Pensacola
(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)
Sulbaran, the Reds' No. 8 prospect, got off to a strong start in Double-A, allowing just two runs in his first two starts of the season. After yielding 14 in his next three outings -- all losses -- he saw his ERA rise to 5.13. Saturday he bounced back, holding first-place Jackson to five hits over seven shutout frames. The 22-year-old Florida native struck out nine Generals and did not issue a walk for the first time this season.
Top prospects: J.C. Sulbaran

Texas League
Jake Odorizzi, NW Arkansas
(1-0, 1.23 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 0 HBP, 1 BB, 11 K)
It's been an up-and-down season thus far for Odorizzi, who discussed his four-pitch repertoire with MiLB.com's Andrew Pentis in March. In April, the No. 42 prospect had two scoreless outings along with a trio of starts in which he gave up 11 earned runs. The 22-year-old righty was back on his game Saturday, holding first-place Tulsa to a run on two hits over 7 1/3 strong innings. Odorizzi matched a season high (and Naturals franchise record) with 11 strikeouts while walking one. Through six starts, he's held the Texas League to a .184 average.
Odorizzi gets the strikeout
Top prospects: Jake Odorizzi

California League
Ryan Bradley, San Jose
(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)
The son of Giants Minor League pitching coordinator Bart Bradley, Ryan hasn't needed much in the way of instruction this spring. After six starts -- three of which have been scoreless -- the 23-year-old southpaw ranks third in the Cal League in ERA (1.57) and second in WHIP (0.84). On Friday he limited visiting Inland Empire to one single while fanning six over a season-high seven shutout innings. He did not walk a batter. Bradley has held the bat-friendly circuit to a .175 average and one longball in 34 1/3 innings this season.

Carolina League
Cody Buckel, Myrtle Beach
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 3 BB, 8 K)
Buckel snagged the Carolina League's first Pitcher of the Week award of the season back on April 16 and has been just as good ever since. The Rangers' No. 11 prospect allowed three runs on nine hits in his only loss of the season at Potomac on April 28 -- in his other five starts, the 19-year-old righty has given up just two runs on 10 hits over 28 1/3 innings. This week he picked up his first road victory after surrendering three singles while fanning eight in a season-high seven scoreless innings at Frederick. He leads the league in strikeouts and ranks second in ERA but may not remain in it for long.
Top prospects: Cody Buckel

Florida State League
Jose Ramirez, Tampa
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 2 BB, 10 K)
The 22-year-old Ramirez was thumped in his first two outings of the season, giving up 11 runs on 21 hits in just 10 innings. Steadily improving since then, the right-hander's work paid off Friday as the Yankees prospect outdueled Bradenton's heralded Jameson Taillon (last week's FSL Pitcher of the Week) in a 2-0 win. Ramirez held the Marauders to two hits while striking out a season-high 10 batters in six scoreless innings for his second victory of the season.

Midwest League
Jason Wheeler, Beloit
(2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 1 HBP, 2 BB, 11 K)
The 6-foot-8, 265-pound Wheeler, an eighth-round pick out of Loyola Marymount last June, has anchored the Beloit rotation in his first six outings as a pro. The left-hander has won each of his last four starts, the most recent pair of which were scoreless outings against Dayton and Kane County this week. Though Wheeler does not have overwhelming strikeout numbers -- 23 in 33 innings -- he's walked just seven and has yet to allow a home run (or take a loss) in the professional ranks.

South Atlantic League
Nick Tropeano, Lexington
(1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 HBP, 2 BB, 8 K)
After suffering two losses in the last week of April, Tropeano bounced back to capture his second Pitcher of the Week award in the last three weeks with his finest outing of the season. The Astros' No. 17 prospect limited Asheville, the top-scoring team in the Sally League, to two hits over seven shutout innings Saturday to even his record at 2-2. Tropeano, a fifth-round pick last June, ranks third in the league with 41 strikeouts, sixth with a 1.87 ERA and has yet to allow a home run.
Top prospects: Nick Tropeano