Pipeline preview: De Leon takes mound for Triple-A OKC

July 6th, 2016
Clockwise from top-left: Jose De Leon, Bradley Zimmer, Stephen Gonsalves and Carson Fulmer.

Here's a look at top prospects to watch today in Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: Bradley Zimmer (Indians' No. 1), Akron vs. Altoona (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Zimmer, baseball's No. 22 overall prospect, has at least two hits in three of his last four games. The former first-round pick hit doubled and hit his 14th homer of the season as part of a 3-for-4 performance for Double-A Akron on Tuesday. Zimmer struggled in June, hitting just .214, but he appears to be back on track in the early days of July with two homers in four games.

Pitcher to watch: Jose De Leon (Dodgers' No. 2), Oklahoma City vs. Colorado Springs (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
De Leon didn't make his season debut until May 3, but in the six starts he's made, he's shown why he's the No. 20 prospect in baseball. The 23-year-old matched his longest start of the season in his most recent outing, during which he threw 86 pitches in five innings and allowed one run. De Leon has excelled at every level he's been at in the Minors and so far Triple-A is no exception. The right-hander has a 3.09 ERA and has struck out 35 in 23 1/3 innings.

Duel of the Day: Carson Fulmer (White Sox No. 1) vs. Stephen Gonsalves (Twins' No. 5), Birmingham vs. Chattanooga (11:15 a.m. ET)
Over his past two starts, Fulmer has totaled 14 scoreless frames and allowed five hits. The No. 33 overall prospect got off to a shaky start this year, his first stint at Double-A, but appears to have settled down. Fulmer's past two outings have been among his best this season and the young right-hander is trending in the right direction.

Gonsalves is still adjusting to the Double-A level and after his last outing -- six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings -- there's little doubt the lefty wants to improve on those numbers. Gonsalves, baseball's No. 98 prospect, has spent the bulk of the season with Class A Advanced Fort Myers, but was promoted on June 22 and has made two starts with Chattanooga.

Wednesday's Top 100 probables
No. 30 Robert Stephenson (Reds' No. 2), Louisville at Indianapolis (1:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 34 Anderson Espinoza (Red Sox No. 4) vs. Ricardo Sanchez (Braves' No. 17), Greenville at Rome (1 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 48 Jake Thompson (Phillies' No. 2), Lehigh Valley vs. Rochester (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 99 Joe Musgrove (Astros' No. 7) vs. Clayton Blackburn (Giants' No. 11), Fresno vs. Sacramento (10:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
More top prospect probables:
Alec Mills (Royals' No. 13), Omaha at Iowa (Triple-A)
Kendry Flores (Marlins' No. 5), New Orleans vs. Round Rock (Triple-A)
A.J. Cole (Nationals' No. 7) vs. Jacob Faria (Rays' No. 9), Syracuse at Durham (Triple-A)
Kyle Freeland (Rockies' No. 7), Albuquerque vs. El Paso (Triple-A)
Nate Smith (Angels' No. 3), Salt Lake vs. Las Vegas (Triple-A)
Anthony Banda (D-backs' No. 14), Reno vs. Tacoma (Triple-A)
Sam Howard (Rockies' No. 23), Hartford vs. Binghamton (Double-A)
Josh Turley (Tigers' No. 28), Erie at Harrisburg (Double-A)
Kyle Crick (Giants' No. 17), Richmond vs. Reading (Double-A)
John Means (Orioles' No. 28), Bowie vs. Trenton (Double-A)
Matt Koch (D-backs' No. 13), Mobile vs. Pensacola (Double-A)
Chih-Wei Hu (Rays' No. 12) vs. Rob Whalen (Braves' No. 26), Montgomery at Mississippi (Double-A)
Victor Alcantara (Angels' No. 4), Arkansas at Frisco (Double-A)
Justin Anderson (Angels' No. 21), Inland Empire vs. Rancho Cucamonga (Class A Advanced)
Junior Fernandez (Cardinals' No. 15), Palm Beach at Jupiter (Class A Advanced)
Stephen Tarpley (Pirates' No. 19), Bradenton at Charlotte (Class A Advanced)
Trey Ball (Red Sox No. 18), Salem at Carolina (Class A Advanced)
Austen Williams (Nationals' No. 20) vs. Josh Staumont (Royals' No. 17), Wilmington at Potomac (Class A Advanced)
Zack Erwin (Athletics' No. 21), Stockton vs. Lake Elsinore (Class A Advanced)
Gage Hinsz (Pirates' No. 23), West Virginia at Greensboro (Class A)
Jon Harris (Blue Jays' No. 4), Lansing vs. Dayton (Class A)
Franklyn Kilome (Phillies No. 8) vs. Brian Gonzalez (Orioles' No. 23), Lakewood at Delmarva (Class A)
Nolan Watson (Royals' No. 5), Lexington at Asheville (Class A)
Jacob Nix (Padres' No. 8), Fort Wayne vs. South Bend (Class A)
Devin Williams (Brewers' No. 9), Wisconsin at Cedar Rapids (Class A)
Tyler Phillips (Rangers' No. 29), Spokane vs. Boise (Class A Short Season)
Mac Marshall (Giants' No. 25), Salem-Keizer vs. Vancouver (Class A Short Season)
Bryan Hudson (Cubs' No. 13), Eugene at Everett (Class A Short Season)