New York Mets' top pitching prospects address trade rumors

For MLB players, the offseason can be a long, stressful affair. It has been especially true for New York Mets players this year, who have already seen franchise staples Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Diaz depart amid a drastic roster overhaul.

With more big moves likely, it's clear that just about anything would be on the table for David Stearns as he hopes to improve on a terribly disappointing 2025. So, for young prospects like Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, blocking out offseason rumors and speculation is no easy task.

Tong and Sproat, who are often at the center of many mock trade proposals that have the Mets landing veteran impact talent, spoke about how they manage the offseason chatter during an appearance at the annual Kids Holiday Party at Citi Field on Thursday.

“I love being a Met,” Tong said. “It’s truly one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my entire life. I also understand that it’s a business, so honestly [I] don’t look at anything, and my focus is to get down to spring training every season, and I’m really excited for next year.”

"I love being a Met. It's truly one of the coolest things I've ever done in my entire life."

Jonah Tong catches up with @mmargaux8 after the Mets holiday party: pic.twitter.com/G9pXZxGTxt
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 18, 2025

At just 22 years old, Tong is coming off of one of the finest minor league seasons for a pitching prospect in Mets history. In 20 appearances for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Tong held a 1.59 ERA and led all minor leaguers with 179 total strikeouts. His dominant play continued at the Triple-A level, where he pitched 11.2 scoreless innings for Syracuse before launching into the big leagues after just two starts for Syracuse.

The young right-hander struggled to adjust to the majors right away, allowing 24 hits in 18.2 innings with 22 strikeouts during his first five MLB starts. But Tong's season on the whole was a major success for the Mets' pipeline, which has made him a very popular trade candidate when discussing potential blockbuster deals.

The same can be said of Sproat, who had a less flashy season by the numbers, but picked up steam at the end of the season and found himself making his big-league debut just a week after Tong. The 24-year-old fared better during his stint in the majors, pitching to a 4.79 ERA and rebuilding some of the value that may have dipped during his poor finish to the 2024 campaign.

Brandon Sproat in a game. — Sep 19, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Brandon Sproat (40) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

But like Tong, Sproat tries to avoid the offseason noise. Instead, the right-hander is focused on getting himself prepared for a 2026 season where he could have a real role in the Mets pitching staff.

“I really don’t look at it, if I’m being honest,” Sproat told reporters. “Obviously, I was super blessed to be able to debut last year. It’s been my lifelong dream. Just going out there and soaking it all in, and then just taking cues away from it and going into the offseason and working on those. There’s always something that you can work on, whether it’s the mental side or the physicality, pitches. I think there’s always something that you can take away from it.”

Brandon Sproat says he communicates with Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean "every day"

"There's a great friendship there." pic.twitter.com/S1aibqDU2b
— SNY (@SNYtv) December 18, 2025

Tong is taking the same approach, pouring his effort into the process and working every day to improve the same way he always has.

“Same focus: one foot in front of the other. I’m not too worried about results, and just more worried about the process,” Tong said. “When I’ve done that in the past, everything else has taken care of itself, and honestly, I’ve had a lot of fun doing it. So, I think doing that with the group of guys that we have is going to be really exciting.”

While fellow top prospect Nolan McLean is considered untouchable, there is a realistic world where both Tong and Sproat pitch for other teams next season. With that said, it's hard to imagine that Stearns will be clamoring to move the two immensely talented young arms that have clearly built a strong connection to each other and the city.

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