Top Prospect AJ Ewing Kicks Off Mets' Comeback Effort With Signature Moment

He's turning heads so far in the majors

May 14, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the third inning at Citi Field. The home run was the first of his MLB career. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Mets rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing continues to impress early in his major league career.

Ewing, New York's No. 1 prospect for 2026 in MLB Pipeline's updated rankings, crushed his first big league home run to get the scoring started in the Mets' 9-4 come-from-behind win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. The 21-year-old smoked a 1-0 fastball 405 feet to right field with an exit velocity of 110.5 mph to plate New York's first run of the day.

Mets right-handed pitcher Nolan McLean served up a three-run homer in the first inning to Gage Workman. But New York responded by hitting five long balls throughout the game to pull off the comeback victory—and it all started with Ewing's first MLB homer. The young outfielder finished the game 2-for-4, improving his stat line to 3-for-9 with four runs scored at the start of his big league career.

A.J. Ewing has emerged as a major catalyst for the new-look Mets

May 14, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) celebrates his solo home run against the Detroit Tigers with right fielder Carson Benge (3) during the third inning at Citi Field. The home run was the first of Ewing's MLB career. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Following New York's win on Thursday, the Mets are officially undefeated (3-0) since Ewing was promoted to the majors on Tuesday. While the lefty-swinging outfielder obviously isn't solely responsible for this recent win streak, he's undoubtedly provided a spark and injected new life into a team that was struggling to begin the season.

Ewing has been a key contributor at every level he's played at so far this year. The 21-year-old began the season at Double-A, where he hit .349 in 18 games. He was then bumped up to Triple-A, where he posted a .326 batting average in 12 games. And in his MLB debut on Tuesday, Ewing turned in a historic performance when he reached base four times and became the first Met to triple in their first big league game.

Throughout his minor league career, though, the young outfielder has been known more for his speed than his power. Ewing had 70 stolen bases in 2025 and just three homers in 124 games across three levels. This year, he had two home runs and 17 stolen bases in 30 minor league games. Either way, the rookie's first big league blast is certainly a moment he'll never forget.

Next up for the Mets, Ewing will be put to the test when he goes up against hard-throwing righty Cam Schlittler and the New York Yankees on Friday.