Mets Minors Recap: Jonah Tong Solid for Syracuse

Jonah Tong struggled in three starts after returning to Triple-A Syracuse earlier this month after a stint with the big-league club. He allowed 11 earned runs over 12 innings, spiking his Triple-A ERA to 6.30. On Friday, the 23-year-old gave up two runs on four hits over six innings in a 4-3 victory over Lehigh Valley. He struck out three, walked two, and threw 69 of 98 pitches for strikes.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (41-38) 4, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (36-43) 3, 10 innings

Box Score

1B Ryan Clifford, 1-for-5. 2 K (.679 OPS)
LF Ji Hwan Bae, 1-for-5, 2B, RBI (.775 OPS)
3B Yonny Hernandez, 4-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 SB, K (.753 OPS)
2B Vidal Bruján, 1-for-5, R, 3 K (.597 OPS)

Hernandez’s first four-hit game of the season raised his slash line to .294/.384/.369. The 28-year-old played in 69 games combined for the Rangers, Diamondbacks and Dodgers from 2021-2023.

RHP Jonah Tong (5.95 ERA) 6 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HR
RHP Ben Simon (2.35 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, 2 H
RHP Danis Correa (3.86 ERA) IP, K, SV

Simon, 24, has allowed four earned runs in 15 1/3 innings at Syracuse.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (28-45) 0, Erie SeaWolves (39-33) 6

Box Score

1B JT Schwartz, 1-for-3, BB (.672 OPS)
RF Jaylen Palmer, 1-for-3, 2B, BB, K (.736 OPS)
SS Wyatt Young, 1-for-4, 2 K (.589 OPS)

Palmer’s double was the only extra-base hit of Binghamton’s four knocks. He has nine doubles in 27 games.

RHP Channing Austin (27.00 ERA) IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, K
LHP Gabriel Rodriguez (4.13 ERA) 2 IP, H, 4 K

Austin didn’t have it in his Double-A debut. He threw 17 of 37 pitches for strikes. The 24-year-old earned the promotion by pitching to a 1.17 ERA over 38 1/3 innings at Brooklyn.

High-A

Jersey Shore BlueClaws (28-44) 5, Brooklyn Cyclones (28-44) 6

Box Score

SS Yonatan Henriquez, 1-for-5, SB, R (.531 OPS)
CF John Bay, 1-for-3, HR (10), 3 RBI, K (.796 OPS)
C Ronald Hernandez, 1-for-1, 2B, SB, 2 R, 3 BB (.766 OPS)
3B Jamari Baylor, 2-for-4, RBI (1.274 OPS)

Bay, 25, leads the team in homers, RBIs (35), and OPS, and is second in stolen bases with 17.

RHP Jose Chirinos (4.85 ERA) 5 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 HR

Chirinos has allowed five homers in 26 innings at Brooklyn after giving up three in 42 innings at St. Lucie.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (35-37) 2, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (42-30) 6

Box Score

SS Elian Peña, 2-for-3, SB, CS, 2 BB (.764 OPS)
2B Antonio Jimenez, 0-for-2, SB, R, 2 BB (.713 OPS)
RF Taylor Darden, 2-for-3, 2B, SB, R (.804 OPS)

Peña has stolen 24 bases in 31 attempts and leads the team in runs scored with 47 in 64 games. His defense must improve. He committed two errors to run his alarming total for the season to 14. He committed 14 errors in 43 games at short a year ago in the Dominican Summer League.