Pitchers of the Week

International League
Daniel McCutchen, Indianapolis
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13.2 IP, 12 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO
Pirates prospect Daniel McCutchen turned in two shutout performances this week, twice handcuffing the Columbus Clippers. He held them to seven hits without a walk and struck out seven over 7 2/3 innings on Monday, then he kept them quiet with five hits, two walks and five strikeouts over six innings Saturday. With these strong outings, McCutchen shaved 40 points off his season ERA, which now sits at 3.40.

Pacific Coast League
Luis Mendoza, Oklahoma City
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 9 IP, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 6 SO
Rangers farmhand Luis Mendoza tossed a no-hitter against the Salt Lake Bees on Friday, walking six and striking out six in his sixth win of the season. It was Mendoza's first shutout of 2009, and he's now won four consecutive decisions.

Eastern League
Mike Stutes, Reading
0-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 15 SO
Philadelphia's 11th-round choice in the 2008 Draft, Mike Stutes has shown what he can do at the Double-A level in just his second year as a pro. He pitched well enough to improve to 6-2 this week, but a couple of no-decisions leave him at 4-2. In his first start, on Tuesday, he went six innings and gave up three runs -- one earned -- while fanning six. On Sunday, he piled up nine strikeout victims while issuing a walk and surrendering two hits over seven innings. Stutes is tied for third in the Eastern League with 100 punchouts, and if he keeps striking out five times as many hitters as he walks -- like he did this week -- the wins are sure to follow.

Southern League
Nick Hill, West Tenn
2-0, 1.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 16 IP, 0 SV, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 12 SO
Mariners prospect Nick Hill tossed two complete games this week, albeit one in a seven-inning tilt. He's now second in the league in that category -- only Mobile's Matt Torra has three. On Monday, he walked one and allowed just three hits -- a single in the first and two doubles in the ninth -- and the run he allowed on those doubles was the only one all game. On Saturday, he helped the Diamond Jaxx to a doubleheader sweep, dominating on the mound in the second game. He gave up two runs on six hits and a pair of walks while whiffing eight.

Texas League
Kyle Middleton, Midland RockHounds
2-0, 1.80 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 15 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 11 SO
Kyle Middleton was a mid-season addition to the Midland rotation -- he spent the beginning of the year in an independent league -- and he's made the Oakland organization look smart for grabbing him. He won two games this week, beating Corpus Christi with eight solid innings Monday, and defeating Tulsa with seven strong frames Sunday. Despite his impressive starts, Middleton's 2009 ERA actually went up this week -- to 1.50.

California League
Josh Collmenter, Visalia
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 SO
D-Backs prospect Josh Collmenter was dinged up in his Aug. 6 start, giving up six runs in six innings, but he recovered nicely this week. Facing Stockton on Wednesday, he allowed only three walks and a second-inning single through seven masterful innings. He recorded nine strikeouts in the win, tying his season-high.

Carolina League
Paolo Espino, Kinston
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 SO
Paolo Espino, the Indians' 2006 10th-round selection, earned back-to-back wins this week. He shut down Lynchburg with six scoreless innings on Tuesday, and he allowed one run on two hits and a walk over six innings to beat Salem on Sunday. His 2.70 ERA is tops among active Carolina League starters.

Florida State League
Jay Jackson, Daytona
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO
Cubs 2008 draftee Jay Jackson moved down to the Florida State League from Double-A at the end of July, but this week he pitched like he's ready to take another stab at the Southern League. He tossed seven shutout innings against the Dunedin Blue Jays on Monday, and he blanked them again over 6 2/3 frames on Sunday, striking out seven in that game. The Dunedin hitters saw plenty of Jackson, but nobody could get a handle on him -- five players combined for six of the team's hits.

Midwest League
Mark Serrano, Dayton
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO
Mark Serrano, the Cubs' sixth-round choice in this year's Draft, notched his longest professional outing this week, hurling seven shutout innings against West Michigan on Wednesday. He struck out the side in the second and the third. After hitting the leadoff man in the fifth, Serrano pulled off the trick again, getting the next three batters to strike out. He allowed a bunt single in the fourth and single to left in the sixth but was otherwise untouchable, fanning 10 without issuing a walk through his day's work.

South Atlantic League
Juan Nicasio, Asheville
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 9 IP, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO
Colorado's Juan Nicasio tossed his first complete-game shutout of the season this week, baffling the Kannapolis Intimidators in Thursday's remarkable outing. He scattered four hits over nine innings, walking just one while putting together seven strikeouts. Nicasio's 1.68 ERA would be good for second in the league, but he hasn't thrown enough innings to qualify. Despite his innings-pitched deficit, he boasts a 7-1 record on the season.

Appalachian League
Cory Rasmus, Danville
2-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 13 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 12 SO
Braves prospect Cory Rasmus dazzled in a complete-game, seven-inning no-hitter on Tuesday, striking out nine and allowing one base-on-balls. His week wasn't done yet, though; he tossed five more no-hit frames on Sunday to extend his hitless innings streak to 14. In that start, he allowed a pair of runs on four walks, but his 3.35 ERA still ranks in the top 10 in the circuit.

New York-Penn League
Sean Black, Staten Island
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO
Sean Black, the Yankees' seventh-round pick in this year's Draft, continued to cruise through his first professional season this week. He improved to 4-0 with six no-hit, scoreless frames against the Auburn Doubledays on Thursday. He fanned eight and walked two, and he went an inning longer than he has since coming to the Yankees. Black has given up just five earned runs over six starts this season.

Northwest League
Daniel Taylor, Yakima
2-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 18 SO
Diamondbacks 2009 draftee Daniel Taylor put two wins in the book this week. He fanned 10 in Monday's start, surrendering two hits and a walk while hurling seven shutout innings. On Saturday, he gave up a run on a solo homer and scattered six hits and a walk while whiffing eight over six frames. Taylor's only defeat came on July 5, and he hasn't lost a start in his young professional career.

Pioneer League
John Lamb, Idaho Falls
2-0, 0.75 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 12 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 15 SO
John Lamb, who was selected out of a California high school by the Royals in the fifth round of the 2008 Draft, coasted through his best week of the year. The first of his two wins came against Billings on Tuesday, when he gave up a run on three hits and two walks and struck out five over five innings. On Sunday, he was even better against Great Falls. He totaled 10 strikeouts and one walk over seven shutout innings, allowing three hits in the outing.