CLEVELAND -- Former Rays first-round pick and potential dual threat Brendan McKay is now one step away from reaching the Major Leagues.

McKay was notified this week that he is being promoted to Triple-A Durham this weekend, setting the stage for him to continue pitching and hitting at the highest level of the Minors.

“He’s closer to where he wants to get,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said prior to Friday’s game in Cleveland. “He’s closer to where we’d like to get him.”

McKay was the fourth overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. The 23-year-old lefty, ranked as the Rays’ third-best prospect and baseball's 29th best per MLB Pipeline, posted a 1.30 ERA and 1.51 FIP with 62 strikeouts and nine walks in 41 2/3 innings at Double-A Montgomery. He was riding a 20-inning scoreless streak prior to the promotion.

Despite entering his most recent outing at Montgomery out of the bullpen as a bulk reliever, McKay is expected to stay on a six-day rotation schedule at Durham. The University of Louisville product is scheduled to pitch on Tuesday against the Louisville Bats.

“I think that’s good that they put somebody in front of him to where he’s at least experienced that,” Cash said, referencing the opener strategy the organization has recently utilized in the Majors. “I have no idea if that’s something we’d consider if and when he ever gets here. But why not explore that a little bit in Minor Leagues, while he’s continuing to develop.”

McKay, in addition to his work on the mound, will also continue to earn opportunities to swing the bat. The left-handed hitter was slashing just .167/.256/.192 in 90 plate appearances at Double-A this season, but the Rays want him to continue his development as a potential two-way threat at the next level.

“He’ll continue to DH, I think, three times a week it is,” Cash said. “If something changes, I know our guys will stay on top of that. But the game plan for him is whatever he was doing in Double-A, to keep that up. If we have to adjust off of that, we will.”