Andres Chavez
New York Mets right-hander Jonah Tong, MLB Pipeline’s 48th-best prospect for the 2026 campaign, already gave fans a glimpse of what he can do from an MLB mound last year. There wasn’t room for him on the pitching staff this time, at least for now, but the talented Tim Lincecum clone is eager to prove he belongs in the majors.
On Friday, Tong made his season debut in Triple-A Syracuse, and it was as successful as you can expect. He tossed four scoreless innings in which he walked two and struck out four hitters, allowing just one hit.
Tong’s Triple-A experience beyond these four frames is limited to just 11.2 innings last year, in which he conceded no runs and struck out 17 batters.
A Sneaky Good Debut Season
Of course, circumstances forced the Mets to call him up to the majors last year to make a few starts in the stretch run. It wasn’t the best cameo as his 7.71 ERA in 18.2 innings suggests, but he did strike out 22 batters and posted a much better 4.31 FIP and a 3.96 xFIP.
Many fans see the ERA and get a bad impression of Tong, but he was rushed to the majors and still struck people out, showing off his tremendous stuff highlighted by a solid four-seamer with elite ride and a Vulcan changeup that might be his best offering. He also throws a curveball and a slider.
The Mets currently have Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea, and Tobias Myers as options to start games. You can also add Christian Scott and Tong.
With the last two, the Mets plan to have them at Triple-A, developing and making up for the lost time. They could be options to receive the call in the not-so-distant future, though, and their timelines could be accelerated if the big league staff has to deal with injuries.
A Long-Term Star In The Making
Tong might not have the mound presence and command of McLean, but he is a very good prospect in his own right and definitely has a future as a major leaguer. A small percentage of evaluators believe he is a long-term reliever, but the skillset, the fastball utility, and the elite changeup all scream future MLB starter.
In a way, he is a lot like former San Francisco Giants star Tim Lincecum. His low release point makes his fastball play very well, and his developing secondaries further elevate his ceiling.
It could be weeks or even months before we see Tong in Queens again, but when it happens, you will be impressed by how far he has come. He could be a star if the Mets are patient.
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