"Barry Zito pitched a two-hit complete game in his final rehab start for Triple-A Fresno on Tuesday night and is expected to rejoin the Giants and start a game in Tuesday's doubleheader at Chicago. The biggest story from Zito's gem in Fresno might be who caught him.

Hector Sanchez, the organization's top prospect at the position, caught three of Zito's four rehab starts, and the left-hander raved about the 21-year-old Venezuelan. Zito said he would be comfortable throwing to Sanchez in a major-league game, an opinion that might carry significant weight as the front office decides whether to give the kid a shot.

"He's beyond his years," Zito said. "He's got a good idea on mixing pitches. We threw changeups to lefties and cutters in to righties. I definitely shook him, but I like the way he mixes and the way he receives the ball. The kid is so young, and he rakes" at the plate. He is hitting .299 with eight homers and 52 RBIs combined between San Jose and Fresno.

Zito said catchers sometimes struggle to receive his big curveball properly and frame it in the strike zone, but not Sanchez. Plus, Zito said, he throws well. "I threw one curveball ... with a guy running, and (Sanchez) threw him out.""