There is some feeling within the Mets organization that right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong could make his MLB debut before the 2025 season is up, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Tong only just made his debut with Triple-A Syracuse on August 16 and hadn’t been projected as “a consideration for the Major League roster this year,” Puma writes, but “that stance has changed in recent days.”
The shift is due to both the Mets’ rotation needs, and Tong’s continued excellence in his third pro season. A seventh-round pick for New York in the 2022 draft, Tong has emerged as a top-100 prospect — Baseball America has the right-hander 42nd on their midseason top 100 list, and MLB Pipeline has Tong in their 44nd spot. It is easy to see why, as Tong has an absurd 1.43 ERA and 40.5% strikeout rate over 113 2/3 combined innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels in 2025. That includes 11 2/3 scoreless innings during his brief time in Syracuse.
Naturally there’s some risk in bringing the 22-year-old up to the Show in such relatively rapid fashion, and Tong’s 10.6% walk rate stands out as a potential weakness to be exploited by big league hitters. That said, Tong’s unusual delivery could also leave some hitters baffled, not to mention his plus fastball that has a ton of break if relatively little velocity (in the 91-94mph range).
Promoting Tong doesn’t necessarily mean he’d be in the majors for the rest of the season, of course, as the Mets could potentially use him for a spot start during a crowded stretch of the schedule. New York is six games into a stretch of 26 games in 27 days, with September 4 as the only off-day during that stretch. This puts even more pressure on a rotation that hasn’t provided much in the way of length or results lately, and the Mets already turned to another rookie in Nolan McLean to take Frankie Montas’ rotation spot earlier this month.
At this point it wouldn’t be a shock to see McLean, Tong, and another top prospect in Brandon Sproat all get onto the mound before the Mets’ season is over. This need for help from the farm (in addition to any club’s natural reticence about moving top prospects) may have been a reason why the Amazins didn’t make much progress in trade talks with the Twins about Jhoan Duran.
The Mets were loosely linked to Duran’s market just prior to the trade deadline, and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported that the Mets weren’t willing to move any of McLean, Tong, Sproat, Jett Williams, or Carson Benge. This quintet are the consensus top prospects within New York’s farm system, and Baseball America has all five players within their league-wide top-100 prospects list. Minnesota was known to be seeking at least one top-100 type for Duran’s services, and found such an offer from another NL East club in the Phillies, who landed Duran for Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel.
Duran has looked excellent in Philadelphia, while the Mets have gotten mixed result from their deadline bullpen acquisitions. Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto have both pitched well since coming to Queens, but Ryan Helsley has struggled badly. Shaky pitching on both the bullpen and rotation has contributed to the Mets’ 7-13 record in August, and the Phillies have pulled out to a six-game lead over New York in the NL East.
In other Mets news, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (including MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo) on Wednesday that Jose Siri is expected to start a minor league rehab assignment this week. Siri fractured his left tibia after fouling a ball off his leg back in April, and what was expected to be an absence of 8-10 weeks has now lasted well over four months. Since he played in only 10 games with the Mets before the injury, Siri figures to need at least a week of minor league action to get fully ramped up for a return to the active roster.
This makes him a candidate for an IL activation once rosters expand on September 1, though Siri will be returning to a more crowded outfield picture. New York went into the season planning to use Siri and Tyrone Taylor in a center field timeshare, but the deadline acquisition of Cedric Mullins has now created a more traditional lefty-righty platoon up the middle with Taylor. A player with Siri’s elite glove always has value on a roster, of course, so the Mets could use him as something of a defensive specialist if nothing else.
If anyone is wondering, Sproat was supposed to start today. They instead used Austin Warren as an opener, then used Sproat for 3.2 innings and 77 pitches. He got shellacked, giving up seven hits, two walks, and six runs.
Correction, they switched one of the ER to an unearned run, so Sproat gave up five, not six.
rct: Hardly a significant piece of news.
Blue Baron: Your reply was hardly a worthwhile endeavor.
rct: Only made necessary by the unnecessary mention of a minor stat correction in a minor league game.
In Syracuse, right? Just to clarify for others who may read this and be confused.
myaccount2: It’s fairly safe to assume that people reading these threads know where the Mets have their AAA affiliate.
It wasn’t about Syracuse being the affiliate (and I disagree that it’s safe to assume everyone knows that anyway; lots of people don’t care where other team’s affiliates are stationed), it was about him being in AAA. People who don’t follow the Mets might have assumed he got called up today and that they missed a piece of news. I initially thought I did based on the wording of the comment, then realized no, Warren is in the minors. But Warren has seen enough big league action that it gave me pause.
myaccount2: If he had been recalled today, it would have been in the news and another player would’ve been removed from the roster.
Hence why I said “…might have assumed he got called up today and that they missed a piece of news. I initially thought I did based on the wording of the comment…” in my previous comment. So instead of potentially sending people on a goose chase to search for that article (particularly since this article seemed to be conflicting) or waste time googling it, I thought I would clarify in the thread. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Not everyone is up to date on Mets news, shockingly.
@myaccount: did not think it was necessary to mention AAA or Syracuse but I will in the future.
Initially thought I missed a piece of news about Sproat being promoted and that he pitched in the bigs today, then realized Warren isn’t a big leaguer currently, but he’s seen enough time in the bigs that I had to double check. So definitely more for fans of other organizations who are curious about this than Mets fans, of course. Definitely not necessary to add it in the future, I just wanted to clarify based on the wording is all.
I know other Mets’ fans aren’t paying attention because they’re too high on his seven great starts recently. But this makes twice in Sproat’s last three appearances that he’s been hit hard.
Neither Tong nor Sproat are on the 40-man roster and they need to be in the next week to qualify for the playoffs. Would not be surprised if the Mets make a move for spot starts to have them qualify for the post-season.
Can’t they name one of them as an injury replacement for Montas or something like that?
If Tong or Sproat gets called up, it will be because of a current team need. The idea that the Mets need, or even want those players to be here in time for playoff eligible is speculative.
I have seen little leaugue pitchers throw better than this Bradley is doing for the Minnesota Twins. Reverse the trade. This guy is garbage.
They need to reverse the sale of the team to the Pohlads
CaptainHooks: A trade can’t be reversed just like that.
It’s amazing how writers parrot each other in saying Tong throws in the low 90s, despite reports and video proving he’s throwing in the upper 90s this year.
How many pitches has he thrown above 95?
How many pitches has he thrown below 95?
His average fastball is around 95. Which means he’s throwing closer to 93-94 more often than he is 98 99.
Sure he can touch it and get there but the word you’re missing is consistently or consistency. He’s not Noah Syndergaard who could throw 98 consistently.
The post said “relatively little velocity (in the 91-94mph range),” whereas he averaged 96.4 mph in his last start, touching 98 and 99.
I’d say my point is validated.
Tong could replace Brazoban or Stanek, and then piggyback Senga and Manaea until 1 or both get right.
No guarantee this will improve results, but it’s worth a shot. Tong could well be ready.
Piggybacking allows a rest day for most or all of the pen.
I mean Senga and Manaea to piggyback. Tong should get a full rotation spot.
Tong is the most dominant pitcher in the minors. He is ready for the big leagues. There is absolutely no reason his next start isn’t for the Mets. McLean and him very well could make the difference for a deep playoff run. Holmes back in the bullpen just makes them better.
Rushing the Kids to the majors at 22 yrs old and 20 innings at AAA is a great way to cause an injury, or kill self confidence.
I remember this kid….Gooden I recall….never pitched a double A inning….worked out pretty well.
Tong has been successful his entire stepping stone career, he isn’t being rushed. He’s ready.
Where is Jessie Winker? I was a big Jessie Winker fan. However, he has been a bum this year. Its clear that during the offseason he isn’t staying in game shape. A major leaguer shouldn’t strain something when throwing a ball. Thats shows that hes tight and not staying in shape. Pair that up with his comstant smoking and chewing tobacco usage and you have a receipe for disaster. Waste of money and I’m ashamed to say that I was proud of the signing