CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs promoted top draft pick Albert Almora from the Arizona Rookie League to short-season Boise on Tuesday.

“He’s done a real nice job the last week to 10 days,” Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “He’s really been driving the ball all over the field lately, and we think he’s pretty advanced for 18, so it’s a good time to move him.”

The Cubs selected Almora, an outfielder, with the sixth overall pick of the draft in June.

Epstein said Almora has a pretty significant leg kick and, like many players with that type of mechanic, needed to face a lot of live pitching to get his timing down. Aided by a five-hit game on Monday night, Almora has rebounded after a slow start to hit .347 with five doubles, one home run and five steals.

Almora’s promotion comes on the heels of Jorge Soler, the Cubs much-heralded Cuban signee, being promoted to Single-A Peoria on Thursday. To go along with 2011 draftees Dan Vogelbach (Boise) and Javier Baez (Daytona), the Cubs have been aggressive in moving their young stable of offensive prospects up the ladder in the past few weeks.