Fresh off a dominating start for Double-A New Hampshire on Sunday—a start that included a season-high eight strikeouts in six innings—Brett Cecil received word that he had been promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

It’s a big step for the 22-year-old lefty who was drafted only a year ago, 38th overall, in the supplemental first round of the 2007 draft. Cecil served primarily as a reliever while at Maryland, but he’s had little difficulty in making the transition to starting this season. He’s gone a combined 6-2, 2.45 with 98 strikeouts and 25 walks in 88 innings with the Fisher Cats and high Class A Dunedin, where he made his first four starts of the season.

With a low-90s fastball with sink (2.07 ground-to-fly out ratio at Double-A) and a devastating mid-80s slider, Cecil appears to be armed for success in any role. He also throws a show-me curveball, and he’ll mix in a changeup to righthanded batters, who had little success against Cecil in the Eastern League (.234/.306/.310).

Cecil joins two other college pitchers from the 2007 draft in making it to Triple-A about a year after signing. Cardinals righthander Clayton Mortensen (36th overall, Gonzaga) made his Triple-A debut for Memphis on June 7. He’s 23. Rangers righthander Tommy Hunter (54th overall, Alabama) made his Triple-A debut for Oklahoma on July 2. Coincidentally, he’s one day younger than Cecil. All three pitchers were supplemental first-round picks.