Jonah Tong may not appear to be a prototypical beginning pitcher in in the present day’s recreation, however a sub-2.00 ERA in 22 begins between Double-A and Triple-A says in any other case. Now, the Mets are rewarding their high pitching prospect with a big-league call-up Friday night time towards the Miami Marlins.
With the Mets within the midst of a stretch of 16 video games with out an off-day and the beginning pitchers nonetheless struggling to supply size, the membership determined so as to add a sixth starter this weekend. As a substitute of utilizing an opener in entrance of a bulk reliever in the course of a playoff chase, the Mets are lastly giving their pitching prospects some Main League appears.
“I think it’s all about him dominating the minor leagues,” supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated Tuesday at Citi Area. “You could make the case that after Double-A, you want to give him a better look at the Triple-A level. But man, after a couple of outings, it’s hard to keep him there.”
Tong has made solely two outings in Triple-A, however he hasn’t allowed an earned run in 11 2/3 innings. He was challenged at a better stage, needing 90 pitches to get by means of 5 innings in his first begin with Syracuse on Aug. 16, however it was nonetheless an impressive outing, with Tong limiting Rochester to solely three hits and two walks whereas putting out 9. His final day out, he allowed 5 hits and one stroll, and struck out eight in six innings of labor, needing solely 88 pitches.
In 22 whole begins this season, Tong has gone 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA.
“This went fast for Jonah, but to his credit, he really conquered everything we put in front of him,” stated Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. “He exceeded our expectations throughout this year, and he put himself in a position where he deserved to be considered for a day like this. Then ultimately, as we got into playing this week out and playing the next series out, it lined up well for him. He’s going to be on turn, he’s thrown the ball well in two starts in Triple-A and we’re comfortable giving him the ball.”
The strikeout numbers have been eye-opening. He’s struck out a complete of 179 this season and fanned 162 batters in Double-A, 29 greater than another pitcher in Double-A and he hasn’t even made a begin in that league in two weeks.
Tong is an unconventional prospect with an unconventional supply. The Markham, Ontario native, Tong was dedicated to North Dakota State College earlier than the Mets drafted him within the seventh spherical of the 2022 draft from his Canadian highschool. At 6-1, 180 kilos with an over-the-top supply, Tong is commonly in comparison with former Giants ace Tim Lincecum. As we speak’s beginning pitchers are sometimes extra within the mildew of somebody like Mets’ left-hander David Peterson — tall, sturdy and powerful with a mid-to-high-90s fastball, a 3/4 supply and a big selection of pitches.
Tong throws solely 4, a low-to-mid-90s fastball, a slider, a curveball and a changeup that he added this season. Scouts had been considerably shocked to see a superb really feel across the zone and fastball that performs properly regardless of the rate. An above-average changeup has been key this season.
“What’s impressed us the most is the speed with which he’s expanded his arsenal really effectively,” Stearns stated. “He’s added a changeup this year that’s been really good. We’ve seen outings that have shown, I think, tremendous maturity on the mound. If something is not working, he’s then able to switch an approach and go to the slider more, throw a few more curveballs and allow himself to get through outings really successfully, even if he’s not following the exact plan that he thought he was going to follow when he went into the game.”
There are questions on his stroll fee, which has come down considerably since his early skilled days. Nonetheless, he walks practically 4 hitters per recreation, and large league hitters is likely to be inclined to put off borderline pitches to make him work.
The largest query, nonetheless, is whether or not his physique will maintain up over time. That’s a query for an additional day although, and never one the Mets are involved with for the time being, particularly since they might solely use Tong for one begin. Proper-hander Brandon Sproat stays within the combine for a September call-up, which might convey the Mets whole of homegrown starters to make their MLB debuts this season to 4.
Nolan Mclean, Tong’s teammate with Double-A Binghamton, will make his third begin Wednesday towards the Philadelphia Phillies. Proper-hander Blade Tidwell made 4 appearances (two begins) earlier than the Mets traded him to the Giants as a part of a bundle of prospects for reliever Tyler Rogers final month. Even three starters in a single season is a win for participant improvement.
There may be appreciable pleasure round Tong’s promotion, even when it’s a one-night efficiency.
“He’s going to get an opportunity,” Mendoza stated. “We’re getting to some extent now the place our job is to place the perfect guys on the market, day in and time out, and the gamers that we really feel are going to provide us the perfect probability to win that specific day.
“So he’s going to get an opportunity on Friday, and then we’ll go from there.”
