He has crawled with the Stone Crabs of the Florida State League and baked as a Biscuit in the Southern League. Now, Tampa Bay Rays top pitching prospect Blake Snell will run with the Bulls of the International League. 

Although Snell, taken 52nd overall with a Compensation A pick in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Rays, has had a long journey  of working his way through the organization due to the team's policy of not rushing the high school star, he is now only one step away from getting a call to join the big club at Tropicana Field. 

The six foot, four inch left-hander started his professional career with two seasons at Rookie Level in 2011 when he pitched for the GCL Rays and 2012 with Princeton. In both years, he excelled greatly and combined for a 6-3 record, a 2.46 earned run average, and 79 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings spread over 22 appearances.

With his success, Tampa Bay decided to loosen the reigns on its young prospect by allowing him to make 23 starts the following season with Single-A Bowling Green. That season did not go well for Snell as his's ERA ballooned to 4.27 and he averaged 6.64 walks per nine innings while compiling a 4-9 record. As a result, the southpaw started right back in the Midwest League the following season (2014).

This time, though, Snell was much improved and went 3-2 with an ERA of 1.79 and 42 strikeouts during eight starts (40 1/3 innings) before a promotion to Port Charlotte (Single-A Advanced). For the Stone Crabs, Snell continued to pitch well although his ERA indicated otherwise. In fact, if it were not for two poor starts (12 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings), the Washington state native would have ended up with a 3.18 ERA rather than 3.94.

Despite having flashes of next-level talent with Port Charlotte, Snell found himself not having to travel after this season's Spring Training; he started right where he ended the season prior. Immediately, the experienced 22-year-old dominated the Florida State League by not giving up any runs in four starts with the Stone Crabs.

The next step was Double-A Montgomery, and Snell was not fazed as he produced four more starts of no earned runs to extend his scoreless-inning streak to 46.

Even though this stretch ended on May 23 versus Kyle Schwarber and the Tennessee Smokies (6 IP, 1 ER, and 12 K), MLB.com's ninety-sixth top prospect in baseball has a 2.47 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings since the showdown of future Major Leaguers.

With nothing left to prove in the oven of Montgomery, Tampa Bay has decided to promote the 2015 Southern League All-Star and All-Star Futures Game selection for the second time this year and have him scheduled to make his Triple-A debut Friday in Norfolk.