Medford’s Jacob Melton moved one step closer to realizing his major league dream Thursday morning after the outfielder was promoted to Triple-A Sugar Land by the Houston Astros organization.

Melton, Houston’s top overall prospect, had his summer at Double-A Corpus Christi slowed by a wrist injury but earned his promotion to the Texas-based Space Cowboys after hitting .248 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles and two triples.

The 2018 South Medford High graduate notched 34 RBIs, 32 runs scored and 19 stolen bases in 58 games with Corpus Christi prior to his promotion.

In his first at-bat with Sugar Land later Thursday night, Melton ripped a second-inning double against the Sacramento River Cats and scored the team’s first run following a single by Grae Kessinger. The starting center fielder, batting sixth in the lineup, finished 2-for-5 with a walk and two runs scored in an 11-9 loss.

Melton, 23, was drafted out of Oregon State with the 64th overall pick during the second round of the 2022 MLB draft.

Since then, the 6-foot-2, 208-pound standout has steadily risen through the ranks by displaying excellent range and defensive capabilities in the outfield while also showing good power at the plate.

In 180 minor league games thus far, Melton has hit 37 home runs and amassed 102 RBIs.

In his final game with Corpus Christi on Wednesday night, Melton launched a 420-foot home run in a 10-4 win over the Springfield Cardinals.

Melton was a unanimous All-America selection while at Oregon State, where he was named the Pac-12 Conference player of the year as a junior prior to being drafted in 2022. In that final campaign with the Beavers, Melton batted .360 with 17 home runs and 21 stolen bases, and also set an OSU single-season record with 175 total bases. He also tied the school record of 83 RBIs set by Adley Rutschman (2018).

Melton’s single-season total bases record at Oregon State was eclipsed this past season by second baseman Travis Bazzana (195), who was selected No. 1 in this year’s MLB draft by the Cleveland Guardians.