Mar 26, 2022; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; The New York Mets logo stands in center field before the game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Breakout Mets Prospect Inches Closer to Big Leagues

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By John Sparaco | Last updated Aug 31, 2024 12:00 PM ET

What a turnaround it has been for Jonah Tong in 2024.

Just a year ago, the Ontario native was wrapping up a challenging debut season in professional baseball after being selected in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft. While his ability to strike out batters was evident (16.3 K/9), Tong struggled with control, issuing 22 walks and posting a 6.00 ERA over 21 innings between Rookie Ball and Low-A.

This season, however, has been a completely different story. The 21-year-old right-hander began the year with Low-A St. Lucie, where he allowed zero earned runs over 18.2 innings and significantly reduced his walk rate from 9.4 BB/9 to 2.4 BB/9. His strong performance earned him a promotion to High-A Brooklyn, where he excelled for the remainder of the season — until now.

On Friday night, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Mets were promoting Tong to Double-A Binghamton, just three days after he struck out eight batters over five scoreless innings against the Phillies’ affiliate. Over 85 innings with Brooklyn, Tong compiled a 3.71 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. This season, he has recorded 146 strikeouts in 103.2 innings across both levels while issuing 43 walks, translating to a 12.7 K/9 rate and a 3.7 BB/9 rate.

#Mets No. 10 prospect Jonah Tong fanned eight over five scoreless innings in Friday's victory.@USAFRecruiting #AimHigh pic.twitter.com/gUxJ1fn7uh
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) August 27, 2024

Tong’s impressive 2024 campaign has propelled him to the No. 10 spot in the Mets’ farm system, according to MLB Pipeline’s rankings. The 6-foot-1 right-hander features a fastball that sits at 92-94 mph and tops out at 97. His over-the-top delivery generates an average induced vertical break of more than 20 inches — elite even by major league standards — creating a rising action that makes his fastball play faster than its velocity suggests. This metric would currently place him in the top three on MLB’s leaderboard.

In addition to his dynamic fastball, Tong’s repertoire includes a mid-80s curveball, a sharp cutter/slider, and a changeup. This season, he has tallied five games with eight or more strikeouts, including two double-digit performances with Brooklyn.

According to MLB Pipeline, Tong's estimated arrival in the majors is set for 2026. For now, though, the Mets have the opportunity to see how the breakout right-hander fares against more disciplined hitters in Double-A to end the season.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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