By Bill Center

Walker Lockett completed the prospect cycle Tuesday when he allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in his first start for Triple-A El Paso. The 22-year-old right-hander has pitched at every level of the Padres’ full-season minor league system this season.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Lockett started the season with Single-A Fort Wayne and was 1–3 with a 3.00 earned run average in eight starts before being promoted to Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore on May 18.

Lockett was 4–3 with a 2.98 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) before being promoted to Double-A San Antonio on July 18. He was 4–1 with a 2.08 ERA in six appearances (four starts) as part of San Antonio’s second-half resurgence before being promoted to El Paso on Aug. 20.

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Overall, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Lockett has a 9–8 record with a 2.72 ERA this season in 26 appearances (23 starts). He has allowed 133 hits in 152 innings with a 114-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Lockett’s rapid rise is credited to developing and getting command of his sinker. Lockett was a fourth-round pick in the 2012 draft out of Providence (Fla.) High.

Meanwhile, right-hander Dinelson Lamet, 24, who opened the season at Lake Elsinore, Wednesday was given his second promotion of the season to El Paso. He has a 12–8 record with a 2.91 ERA in 26 starts this season at Lake Elsinore and San Antonio.