Mets option prized prospect Tong to minor leagues

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — The New York Mets optioned pitching prospect Jonah Tong on Tuesday to Triple-A Syracuse.

The 22-year-old right-hander was 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA last season with the Mets.

Tong made a rapid and extraordinary rise last season from seventh-round pick in the amateur draft to among the best pitching prospects.

Tong, born and raised in Canada, traveled all the way to Georgia Premier Academy and the MLB Draft League to showcase his talents as a teenager. He was selected by the Mets in the 2022 amateur draft and gained attention in the minors in 2024, when he pitched at three levels.

With his slight build and drastic over-the-top delivery, Tong has often drawn comparisons to Tim Lincecum, a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner and four-time All-Star with the Giants who pitched in the majors from 2007-16.

Tong made two Grapefruit League starts for the Mets this spring training.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb