Mets pitching prospect Zack Wheeler may be on his way to the big leagues very shortly, the New York Post reports Saturday. 

Wheeler started for Triple-A Las Vegas Friday and was cruising until allowing three runs in the fifth inning over 38 pitches. He was removed before he could qualify for the win with only two outs in the inning. 

Still, Wheeler probably made his next-to-last start for Vegas before he makes his Mets debut. Manager Wally Backman has been extremely pleased with Wheeler. 

"You get hurt when you pitch up in the zone," Backman said. "I thought he pitched a good ballgame until [the fifth], and then he pitched the ball up in the zone."

Before the game, Backman said: "He's getting close. His timetable is definitely running short here at Triple-A."

The No. 8 prospect in all of baseball entering the season, according to MLB.com, has gone 4-1 at Las Vegas over 12 starts with a 4.14 ERA. He's struck out 66 over 63 innings.