MLB analyst picks Mets' pitching prospect for prestigious minor league honor

New York Mets star pitching prospect Jonah Tong received a prestigious award from an MLB analyst.

Aug 29, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jonah Tong (21) reacts after striking out Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks (not pictured) to end the top of the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have had a breath of fresh air added to their roster with the addition of several star pitching prospects.

First, it was Nolan McLean. He had an electric debut against the Seattle Mariners a few weeks ago and has not stopped since. His performance has been historically good, putting him in line to potentially be a Game 1 starter should the Mets make the postseason.

The next hurler to debut in the major leagues was Jonah Tong. He also had a historic first start, with New York’s offense scoring at an impressive clip. Last but not least, Brandon Sproat was called up. Just like his teammates before him, he was electric, not allowing a hit in his first five big league innings.

Jonah Tong named Pitcher of the Year in minors by Keith Law

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

None of those three were first-round draft picks, which speaks volumes to the developmental work the Mets are doing. Out of the three, it is Tong who stands out the most in the opinion of Keith Law of The Athletic (subscription required) for the work he did in the minor leagues; the MLB analyst selected the young righty as his Pitcher of the Year in the minor leagues.

He is certainly deserving of the award with some eye-popping production. Across 113.2 innings with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse, Tong struck out 179 batters; that is the most in the minor leagues this season. When taking into consideration that 135 pitchers threw more innings than him but still didn’t reach his strikeout total, it puts into context just how dominant he was.

In addition to the punchouts, Tong was virtually impossible to hit hard. Damage was rarely inflicted upon him, as the 22-year-old gave up only two home runs in the minor leagues this season. Oddly enough, that has been one of his issues in the major leagues, giving up three long balls in 11.2 innings.

Welcome to the big leagues, eh 🔥@tong_jonah | #LGM pic.twitter.com/hq7kEwoTau

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 30, 2025

Read More: Mets’ Jonah Tong assesses what went wrong in worst start of his career

What led to so much success in the minor leagues? As Law noted, his delivery creates a lot of deception. He has drawn comparisons to Tim Lincecum, which are certainly appropriate. Not being able to read the ball out of his hand led to a lot of underwhelming contact from opponents.

His elite fastball was paired with a devastating changeup. Hitters whiffed on the pitch over 50 percent of the time. Already possessing two plus offerings, the sky is the limit for him once he can develop his secondary offerings behind his two already MLB-ready pitches.

Despite some struggles early in his MLB career, Tong has immense upside. He should be anchoring the Mets' rotation for years to come, along with McLean and Sproat. That trio could provide the stability the team has been lacking from their starting pitchers this season.