Inside The Mets

Mets' top pitching prospect wins minor league Player of the Month

Jonah Tong has been named the June Eastern League Pitcher of the Month.
Logan VanDine|
May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets logo on the sleeve of J.D. Martinez during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets logo on the sleeve of J.D. Martinez during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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New York Mets

June was the month of Jonah Tong at the Double-A level.

The New York Mets' No. 2 prospect was named the June Eastern League Player of the Month after stringing together an incredible month on the mound for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Tong was nearly unhittable in his five starts that month, posting a 3-0 record with a 0.93 ERA and an Eastern League-leading 43 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched.

The 22-year-old right-hander also led the league with a 0.69 WHIP and .113 opposing batting average, while averaging 13.39 strikeouts per nine innings. Remarkably, Tong gave up just two extra-base hits throughout the entire month of June, neither of which were home runs; both these extra-base hits came in a victorious effort on June 6.

Read More: Mets' Juan Soto named NL Player of the Month in June

The righty hurler has had a great first full season at the Double-A level after making just two starts last season for Binghamton. In 14 starts thus far, Tong has a 6-3 record with a 1.73 ERA, 115 strikeouts, and a 0.92 WHIP across 73 innings.

Tong has not been New York's only farm hand to thrive lately. Despite posting a 5.43 ERA for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets this season, Brandon Sproat is coming off his best start yet at the Triple-A level; he tossed six scoreless innings during his start against the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings on Saturday to earn Player of the Week honors.

The Amazins' have also seen great stuff out of pitching prospect Nolan McLean in Triple-A. The 22-year-old has gone 2-4 in nine games (seven starts) this season for Syracuse with a 2.72 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.

With Tong continuing to shine in Double-A this season, it shouldn't be too long until the talented righty joins both Sproat and McLean in Triple-A.

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Logan VanDine
LOGAN VANDINE

Logan VanDine is a contributing writer for On SI's Mets. Logan is a graduate of Rider University where he majored in Sports Media and minored in Sports Studies. During his time at Rider, Logan worked for Rider's radio station, 107.7 The Bronc as a sports host, producer and broadcaster, and for the school's paper: The Rider News. He began his time with The Rider News as a section writer for sports and was a copy editor for two years followed by being one of the sports editors during his senior year. Logan also placed third in the New Jersey Press Foundation Awards for sports feature writing. Aside from his work at On SI, he is also a writer for FanSided covering the New York Giants and Mets and also covers the Giants for Total Apex Sports. Give him a follow on X: @VandineLogan

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