Right-hander Cade Cavalli has taken another step toward the big leagues. The Nationals’ No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was promoted to Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday as he continues his rapid rise in his first season of Minor League ball.

After being selected with Washington's first overall pick (No. 22) in the 2020 Draft, Cavalli began this year with the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks and was quickly promoted to the Double-A Senators.

In 18 starts across both levels, Cavalli has gone 6-4 with a 2.37 ERA. He tallied a Minor League-leading 151 strikeouts, while allowing 28 runs (26 earned) on 63 hits and 47 walks, with 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings. Cavalli, 23, was recognized with a selection to the Futures Game during All-Star Weekend.

In Triple-A, Cavalli will be tasked with working on his control to limit walks.

“He misses a lot glove-side, and that’s something that we’ve talked to him [about],” manager Dave Martinez said. “Sometimes he gets a little quick with his mechanics, so we’re going to keep an eye on him. But his stuff is super electric, as we all know. So if we could get him in that strike zone and lower his walk rate, he’s going to help us win a lot of games here.”

Southpaw Seth Romero also was promoted to Rochester on Thursday. Ranked as the Nats’ No. 28 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Romero has worked his way back from injuries this season. He most recently pitched with Double-A Harrisburg, where he went 0-2 with a 5.31 ERA in six starts. Romero fanned 34 over 20 1/3 innings, allowing 13 runs (12 earned) on 21 hits (two home runs) and nine walks with the Senators.

Martinez would like Romero to continue getting stretched out as a starter. A first-round pick of the Nationals in 2017, he made his Major League debut last season.

“The good news is that Romero’s healthy and he’s throwing the ball really well,” Martinez said, “which is awesome for us because I think he’s still a big part of our future.”

While the late-August promotions mark significant progress for the prospects, Martinez emphasized the importance placed on growth versus rushing through the rankings.

“People will look and say, ‘Ooh, they’re getting closer,’ but they’ve still got to develop,” he said. “But the fact is, they’re both doing well.”