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.
In Syracuse, right? Just to clarify for others who may read this and be confused.
@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.
@rct: not really necessary. IYKYK (at least if you’re a Mets fan)
Flanster- Which 95% of people here are not.
…..and therefore,irrelevant to them
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.
The IL and Syracuse, death for pitchers. Even the 4A guys the Mets have like Hagenman, Devenski, Warren, Castillo, etc., tend to pitch to better results in the Majors than in Syracuse. It’s so hard to pitch consistently well up there. Doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and rainbows for Sproat, but a good prospect pitching to inconsistent results there didn’t give me much pause.
Reminds me of when the Mets had their AAA team in Vegas and it was really difficult to have any idea who was actually good or bad because the offense was so inflated.
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.
geofft,
Fans speculating about their team? That never happens…
My understanding is that you only need to be in the organization on August 31 to be playoff eligible, and both are. There used to be all kinds of machinations over the post-season roster. teams had to submit a roster on September 1 from players on the August 31 active roster or DL, as it was then known. Players who were injured or had been released, traded, suspended, etc. could be replaced when the post-season began.. To get around this, teams would include on their post-season rosters the sure thing inclusions and fill out the rosters with everyone on the DL to create flexibility including players on the 60-day DL who were eligible to come off the list by the playoffs but were out for the season. That procedural game is now gone. Teams just set their playoff rosters round by round with players on their 40-man roster with the same ability to designate someone or move them to the 60-day IL to free up space for players not on the 40. If teams had to set their rosters from their August 31 40-man roster, injuries to catchers in particular could lead them without a replacement for the postseason.
Must be on the 40-man roster (or 60-day injured list) before Sept. 1 to be eligible for postseason.
Jackson Jobe was not on the Tigers’ 40 man roster on September 1 last year. He was added and called up the last week of the season and was post-season eligible and pitched in the playoffs. I did a Google search and found an Baseball America article from September on his being eligible. It said, “Detroit can petition to add him to a postseason roster as an injury replacement for another player.” and “There is some precedent here, too. The D-backs petitioned to add Jordan Lawlar to their playoff roster in 2023 despite calling him up on Sept. 7. Adalberto Mondesi is another famous example, debuting in the 2015 World Series for the Royals.” BA gave the example of Sawyer Gipson-Long, who’d been out for the season since April with Tommy John and hip surgery, as a player Jobe could replace.
Here is the rule: mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-roster-ru…
Yes, the team must petition the commissioner’s office, but, with Canning, Minter, Montas, Nunez, Scott, Smith, and Young all out for the year or longer, the Mets have plenty of pitchers he can nominally replace.
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.
Thanks tips. You’re a walking advertisement on why they need to bring bullying back in schools
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.
“ whereas he averaged 96.4 mph in his last start”
IN HIS LAST START, one start lmao
His average across ALL starts sits around 95. Not 96.4
The fact you’re looking at 1 start instead of his entire season and entire body of work and all his starts tells us you didn’t prove your point at all.
You cherry picked a start to prove your point. I can cherry pick another where he averaged 94 the entire start and say you’re wrong.
His recent starts he’s been sitting 95-96. In any event if his average fastball is “around” 95 as you say, that’s a bit different than sitting 91-94 like the article said.
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.
There’s a very good reason he’s already at the most innings he’s thrown in a year. Which means he’s only got about 30-35 innings left. Why rush him when he could be an Ace for the next 5-7 year with you. This team may be good enough to compete for a chip but they really haven’t acted like it this year.
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.
Bad analogy. Gooden was 40 years ago. How many pitchers have done it and worked out well since then? And yet you regard that as if it is a typical progression. It wasn’t the norm then, and it isn’t now. It was also a different era and the game has changed:
Gooden was consistently throwing 95 when only a small handful of pitchers could do that. Many very good pitchers’ fastballs sat in the high 80’s and only breached 90 a few times a game. Today, lots of pitchers reach the upper 90’s, and Tong’s velo is not exceptional. And Gooden paired that fastball with a great curve – in an era where two great pitches would get you far. Today, a pitcher needs four pitches to succeed.
Today’s game also has analytics, advanced computerized video, etc. Teams have the tools to figure a pitcher out faster. Talent and readiness are two different things
The comment of yours to which I responded did not refer to age. It referred to Gooden not having pitch above A-ball.
Without going through your entire list, Jose Rijo was in AAA for 11 games before his first call-up, and wound up back in AAA the following year for another 24 starts. A total of 35 starts at that level.
Ramon Martinez pitched 10 games in AAA before his first call-up and another 18 before getting back to the majors. 28 starts in AAA. That is the variable in question here.
Tong has been in AAA for all of three starts. Maybe he is ready. Maybe he is not. But three games is not enough to say so.
This is a conversation. The conversation references both age and experience:
stymeedone opened with, “at 22 yrs old and 20 innings at AAA”.
You responded with, “I remember this kid…..” and, “never pitched a double A inning”.
If you want to focus on the age aspect alone, that is your prerogative. But I’m not the weeds for focusing on the experience factor, as is my prerogative.
Grey matter: Skenes at 22 is not exceptionally young for a MLB debut.
My only point was that he doesn’t belong on your list of 19-20yo phenoms.
He pitched 113 innings last year and is at 113.2 this year. He still has room for a handful of starts even under a conservative ramp up. I don’t see where the increased injury risk is.
Yes, flashback to Dwight Gooden. The kid starters could give the veterans, a less stressful reset while giving them the opportunity to get it together. Senga, Peterson, Holmes, the 2 kids. Let’s go Mets!
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
Why would anyone be a Jessie Winker fan
Tong is one of those rare prospects that has exceeded all expectations and has entered the conversation as “special”. He hasn’t had a bad outing and has baffled hitters at each level. Once a need arises for a spot start or an extended stretch of starts, this is 100% the guy and he may never throw a pitch in the minors again.
Sproat is not the guy to call up. He seems to need adjustement time, to a league, to a role (like coming out of bullpen today.) . Tong is probably the better choice of the two.
So far the Twinkie Sell-off which was headlined by acquiring: Abel, Bradley and Roden looks pretty underwhelming !!
Advice to readers: large majority of posts below are grumpy posters pecking away at minor points brought up by someone else. Not much in the way of enjoyable baseball chitchat today.