PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — While throwing in a live batting practice session at Clover Park on Friday afternoon, Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong slipped. His front foot slid forward a few inches as his curveball to teammate Jorge Polanco dipped below the zone. Tong dropped softly on the dirt.
Instantly, Tong was beaming. He sat for a split second at the base of the mound before hopping up to dust himself off. After kicking dirt off his cleat and flashing a thumbs up to his coaches, Tong was back on the rubber and back to battling with Polanco.
The Mets, of course, want to see Tong take a step forward in his development this spring. He was dominant in the minor leagues last year and showed flashes of his excellent stuff in his big-league cameo, but finished that five-start stretch in a Mets uniform with a 7.71 ERA. He has work to do to consistently reach his potential against MLB hitters.
This spring also marks Tong’s first full experience at big-league camp. He’s still only 22. That’s why the Mets, more than anything, want the right-hander to be present and have fun, embracing an environment where he can learn from those around him so the rest takes care of itself.
“This is his first big-league camp,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after Friday’s spring workout. “People forget that. He made his major league debut last year in the middle of a pennant race and here he is. I want him to enjoy. I want him to learn as much as possible from every guy that we have in that room and I want him to be himself.”
That shouldn’t be too difficult for Tong, judging by the way he carries himself on and off the field. That moment where Tong fell on the mound wasn’t the first time he’s been spotted grinning ear-to-ear at camp this week.
“The mindset stays the same,” Tong said. “I’m just gonna go out there and have a lot of fun, enjoy these people and try to learn as much as I possibly can. Everything else will just fall as they may.”
Unless the Mets are bombarded with starting pitching injuries over the next six weeks, Tong will begin the year in Triple-A Syracuse. That’s not the worst outcome for a young starter with only 11 2/3 innings under his belt at that level. A focus this spring, Tong said, will be on his off-speed pitches. While he was confident in his fastball and changeup last year, he wants to get to that same level with the rest of his arsenal.
Tong and Christian Scott headline the Mets’ starting pitching depth. Reliever Tobias Myers, who also threw to live hitters at Mets camp on Friday, is stretching out as a starter to provide some insurance in case the Mets need rotation help before Opening Day. Odds are, Myers will start the year in the big-league bullpen and pitch in a multi-inning role.
The Mets reported to camp with six healthy starters in their rotation: Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, David Peterson and Kodai Senga. Even with all that depth and experience in a rotation that Tong called “electric,” Mendoza is certain this prospect will be back in Queens in 2026. It’s only a matter of time.
“He’s going to pitch for us and we’re going to need him,” Mendoza said.
