{"id":660781,"date":"2026-04-03T13:23:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T13:23:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/660781\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T13:23:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T13:23:04","slug":"mets-top-prospect-roughed-up-in-minor-league-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/660781\/","title":{"rendered":"Mets Top Prospect Roughed up in Minor League Start"},"content":{"rendered":"

After tossing four scoreless innings in last week\u2019s Triple-A season opener, New York Mets<\/a> prospect Jonah Tong was roughed up in his second start for Syracuse.<\/p>\n

On Thursday afternoon, Tong lasted just 1.2 innings against the Toledo Mud Hens, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Mets\u2019 No. 2 prospect allowed seven runs (four earned) on four hits, with three walks and two strikeouts, throwing 34 of his 60 pitches for strikes.<\/p>\n

In the first inning, Tong issued a one-out double to Max Clark, MLB Pipeline<\/a>\u2019s No. 8 overall prospect, before walking the next two batters to load the bases. The 22-year-old right-hander nearly escaped the jam, but with two outs, big league veteran Corey Julks hit a bases-clearing double to make it 3-0.<\/p>\n

Now that’s how you start off a baseball game.
3-0 after 1
Bases clearing double by Julks, after a double by Clark, and two walks by Cruz and Jung! pic.twitter.com\/Xwu6ZijKvp<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

A pair of fielding errors contributed to a four-run second inning for Toledo, highlighted by Wenceel P\u00e9rez\u2019s two-run homer. Tong issued another walk and yielded a two-run double before exiting the game. His season ERA now sits at 6.35 through 5.2 innings.<\/p>\n

Yep, that’s gone pic.twitter.com\/i6YSDtqIbL<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

In Tong\u2019s previous outing, he topped out at 96.9 mph and generated 11 whiffs on 73 pitches. The right-hander issued consecutive walks in the opening frame but worked out of trouble before retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. He needed just 39 pitches to complete the final three frames after a 32-pitch first inning.<\/p>\n

Control has been an issue at times for Tong, who rapidly ascended through the minor league ranks before joining the Mets\u2019 rotation late last season. He issued nine walks over 18.2 MLB innings in 2025 and was hit hard at that level, finishing with a 7.71 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP.<\/p>\n

Despite struggling in his brief big league stint, Tong was named MiLB\u2019s Pitching Prospect of the Year<\/a> last season. Over 113.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, he posted a 1.43 ERA with 179 strikeouts, both of which led the minor leagues. He spent most of the year with Binghamton and entered 2026 with more MLB starts (5) than Triple-A starts (2).<\/p>\n

The offseason addition of two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta to an already crowded Mets rotation made it easy for the club to send Tong back to Triple-A for more seasoning. There is a decent chance he returns to Queens at some point this season, but unless injuries force New York\u2019s hand, there is little need to rush the right-hander\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

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