A historic achievement unfolded in Mets minor league history as Jonah Tong pitched the first combined perfect game for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, making headlines in the series against the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Tong dazzled on the mound, throwing 6 2/3 innings, striking out 13 of the 20 batters he faced without allowing a single baserunner. Although it was a seven-inning game, Tong’s performance highlighted his incredible skill, bolstering his reputation as a top prospect with a 2.57 ERA through six starts and a striking total of 51 strikeouts in just 28 innings.
Shifting focus to the Triple-A team, the Syracuse Mets concluded their recent series against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp with a split of three games each, outscoring their opponents 25-19. Luis De Los Santos particularly stood out, going 9-for-20 with two home runs and tying for the team lead with five RBIs during the series. Jared Young, despite a modest 3-for-14 performance, contributed two home runs to his season total of three, maintaining a robust .942 OPS across the past 14 games.
Nolan McLean had an impressive Triple-A debut, pitching seven shutout innings while allowing just seven hits and striking out seven batters. His early performance indicates a promising future, posting a 1.08 ERA over six starts between Binghamton and Syracuse. Paul Blackburn and Brandon Sproat also showed solid outings, with Blackburn expected to join the Mets’ major league squad soon.
In Double-A, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies took three out of five games against Reading, and Ryan Clifford made a significant impact, hitting three home runs and raising his OPS to .820. Joander Suarez and the bullpen gave commendable performances, indicating strong support for the starting rotation as they continue the season.
In High-A, the Brooklyn Cyclones maintained their momentum, currently standing at 20-12 after a series split against the Asheville Tourists. Carson Benge and Eli Serrano emerged as notable talents from the 2024 draft class, contributing significantly to the Cyclones’ offensive output. A.J. Ewing and Jacob Reimer also made impressions with solid hitting and base-running.
The Low-A St. Lucie Mets, while facing challenges, had promising showings from players like Nick Roselli and Colin Houck, while pitching efforts demonstrated potential, especially from Channing Austin and Raimon Gomez.
As the minor league season progresses, the Mets organization continues to showcase a wealth of promising talent; players are finding their rhythm, showing signs of improvement and resilience, ultimately igniting hope for future successes both in the minors and potentially at the major league level. The upcoming schedule for the week of May 13-18 promises more opportunities for the teams to continue building on their progress.