Even though Colin McKee's first trip up to Class AAA was a brief one, it was enough to open up some eyes.

This guy is getting very close to the major leagues.

If and when the former Butler pitcher gets there, it will mark only the second time in my 40 years of writing sports for newspapers that I wrote about a guy in Little League and kept writing about him all the way up to the major leagues.

That is a rare gem in this business — and it's so much fun.

The only other time in my career was when I worked for the Herald-Star in Steubenville.

Mike Gulan was a standout Little Leaguer who stood out on the all-star traveling circuit. He became a standout third baseman at Catholic Central High School in Steubenville, and played for an American Legion team that won the Ohio state championship.

Gulan had 90 RBI in one summer of Legion ball — an incredible feat — and went on to a stellar career at Kent State University. He was Player of the Year in the Mid-American Conference, got drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Cardinals and became their Minor League Player of the Year when he was in Class AA.

I remember Gulan's major league debut. He was immediately inserted into the starting lineup in Philadelphia and hit a fly ball to the warning track in his first at-bat.

Sadly, Gulan never got a hit in the major leagues. He retired while having a big year in AAA with the Pirates after being told the club had no plans of placing him on its 40-man roster and calling him up.

McKee has followed a similar path. He was teammates with the likes of Matt Baranchak, Alex Ziegler, Tommy Bruce, Chris Cotton, Dante Dorcy and David Tonmpkins, among others, who won the Little League state championship in 2006 with Butler Township and advanced to the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

He was third man in a Butler High School starting rotation, behind Tyler Slepski and Mick Fennell, until his senior year. He tossed a complete game and tripled, scoring two runs in a win over Pine-Richland.

McKee hit a grand slam and doubled for East Butler in a 9-2 Legion win over West Sunbury. He struck out 15 in an Eagle County win over Zelienople.

He goes on to Mercyhurst University, becomes PSAC West Pitcher of the Year, gets drafted by the Astros in the 18th round in 2016 and is rapidly climbing the ladder in their farm system.

I can't help but think Colin McKee's major league debut is coming sooner rather than later.

Mike Gulan got a taste of the big leagues. His career didn't sustain itself there.

McKee's shot at it is around the corner.

From Little League to big leagues. I've seen it once.

Can't wait to see it again.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle