Mets pitching prospect closing in on major league debut

New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong has nothing left to prove in the minors.

He dominated the Indianapolis Indians in his second Triple-A start, firing six shutout innings as he allowed five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. Tong has not allowed a run in either of his starts for Syracuse, allowing just eight hits and three walks over 11.2 innings while striking out 17 batters.

That performance has drawn the Mets' attention. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that the Mets have changed their minds regarding Tong and are consideri ng bringing the 22-year-old righty to the majors this season.

Tong exploded onto the prospect scene in 2024 and has rapidly climbed up top prospect lists. Ranked as the Mets' fourth-best prospect and the 44th-best prospect in baseball, per MLB.com, Tong has drawn comparisons to former Giants star Tim Lincecum. 

His plus fastball sits in the low 90s but has elite movement, allowing the offering to play up. Tong tunnels his curve well with the fastball and has developed a changeup that flashes the potential to be another plus offering. Although there are some concerns with his command, Tong has generated impressive strikeout numbers while keeping his walks at a reasonable rate.

Tong's performance backs up his profile. He has posted an impressive 1.43 ERA and a 0.924 WHIP over his 113.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, striking out a minor league leading 179 batters with 47 walks. 

The Mets have struggled in August, winning just seven of their 22 games thus far as they attempt to hold onto a playoff berth. The Mets' pitching has been a sore spot as their starters have struggled to pitch deep into games. Pitching prospect Nolan McLean has already debuted and has impressed in his first two appearances for the Mets. Tong may not be far behind as the Mets look to right the ship heading into September.