On Tuesday, March 10, the New York Mets declared that right-hander had been demoted to Triple-A. In 2.2 innings of Spring Training action, the 22-year-old got tagged for three earned runs.
Tong is ranked as the third-best prospect in the Mets organization by MLB.com, behind only outfielder Carson Benge and fellow righty Nolan McLean. When New York plays the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, March 26, Opening Day, McLean is anticipated to be in the big-league rotation. He is scheduled to start against Team Italy while playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Benge is vying with Brett Baty and Tyrone Taylor for the right field position.
It’s not shocking that Tong is going to the minor leagues to gain more experience. In five major league starts last season, he struggled to a 7.71 ERA. If the Mets’ pitching staff is affected by injury or subpar play, the gifted right-hander may be considered for the rotation.
Tong just finished a strong season in the minor levels. Between Double-A and Triple-A, Tong pitched 113.2 innings with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts. With Binghamton, he had an incredible strikeout percentage of 40.8%, but after moving to Syracuse, he maintained a solid 37.8%. The right-hander’s 34.2% strikeout percentage at three stops in 2024 is his lowest strikeout percentage in a whole minor league season.
Tong was chosen by the Mets in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. In his first season as a professional, he struggled in the lowest ranks of the minors, but the next year, he took off. Tong pitched 18.2 scoreless innings in Single-A to start the 2024 season. After being promoted to High-A, he has a 3.71 ERA in 19 starts. Tong had two strong Double-A appearances to end the season.
During his brief time in the major leagues, Tong relied on a fastball in the mid-90s and a changeup in the mid-80s. His delivery is distinctively extravagant. Unsurprisingly, Tong’s extension score was in the 83rd percentile. Tong’s heater was tagged for a.356 batting average and a.600 SLG, but the changeup and curveball did rather well. The fastball was the source of all three of the home runs he gave up.
Who Will Be in the Mets’ Rotation in 2026?
To get their top starter, the Mets made one of the greatest offseason moves. After joining from the Milwaukee Brewers in return for top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, Freddy Peralta will lead the rotation. McLean will probably take Peralta’s place. During his first eight MLB outings, the 24-year-old was outstanding, recording a 2.06 ERA and a 30.3% strikeout rate. Out of the three, he was the best pitching prospect for the Mets, along with Tong and Sproat.
Regarding age and health, the remainder of the rotation is uncertain. David Peterson will return to the team under an arbitration-agreed $8.1 million contract. In 2025, he made a career-high 30 starts. Last season, both Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes had respectable beginnings before declining sharply in the latter part. They mostly played piggyback roles as the campaign came to its end. The group will be completed by the frequently injured Kodai Senga. If Tong is pitching well in the lower leagues, he might quickly ascend this depth chart.
