Toronto Mets alum Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.) has been named the Canadian Baseball Network Minor League Player of the Week after he didn’t allow an earned run in six innings in his start for the triple-A Syracuse Mets. Photo: Syracuse Mets/Facebook

May 5, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

With the New York Mets floundering in last place in the National League East and their fourth and fifth starting pitchers struggling, it seems inevitable that Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.) will be called up by the club.

That promotion could come sooner rather than later after Tong allowed just an unearned run, while fanning six batters, in six innings in his start for the triple-A Syracuse Mets against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Saturday.

It’s a performance that has earned Tong the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week award (April 28 to May 3).

The 22-year-old righty threw 53 of his 85 pitches for strikes in the start and registered two Ks in the third inning and single strikeouts in the first, second, fourth and sixth.

Tong now has 44 strikeouts this season, which ties him for the International League lead. He is also tied for the league lead in starts (7) and ranks eighth in innings pitched (31-2/3).

Opposing batters are hitting just .186 off him.

Tong was named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Wayne Norton Award winner, as Canadian minor league pitcher of the year (affiliated ranks) in 2025, after he put together a dominant season with the New York Mets’ double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies and triple-A Syracuse, combining to go 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts.

His 179 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in the affiliated minor league ranks in 2025. He also topped all minor league hurlers in ERA and opponents’ batting average (.148). His minor league dominance earned him his first big league call-up in late August.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (April 28 to May 3)

Player	Position	Current Organization	Team(s)	PA	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Connor Caskenette	C	Miami Marlins	Beloit Sky Carp (A+)	19	3	7	1	0	1	6	3	0.500	0.579	0.786	1.365
Matt Coutney	1B	Los Angeles Angels	Tri-City Dust Devils (A+)	27	5	7	2	0	2	4	0	0.304	0.370	0.652	1.023
Charles Davalan	OF	Los Angeles Dodgers	Great Lakes Loons (A+)	27	6	8	1	0	2	4	1	0.333	0.370	0.625	0.995
Nathan Flewelling	C	Tampa Bay Rays	Bowling Green Hot Rods (A+)	23	3	5	0	0	2	5	0	0.250	0.304	0.550	0.854
Eric Hartman	OF	Atlanta Braves	Rome Emperors (A+)	28	2	7	2	0	0	3	3	0.292	0.393	0.375	0.768
Core Jackson	SS	New York Yankees	Hudson Valley Renegades (A+)	28	2	10	2	0	0	4	1	0.385	0.393	0.462	0.854
Lamar King	C	San Diego Padres	Fort Wayne TinCaps (A+)	25	5	8	1	0	1	4	2	0.400	0.480	0.600	1.080
David McCabe	3B	Atlanta Braves	Columbus Clingstones (AA)	19	4	5	1	0	3	5	0	0.263	0.263	0.789	1.053
Jonny McGill	OF	Los Angeles Angels	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A)	28	2	6	2	0	1	2	2	0.300	0.464	0.550	1.014
Myles Naylor	3B	Athletics	Stockton Ports (A)	16	2	4	0	1	1	4	0	0.308	0.438	0.692	1.130
Dante Nori	OF	Philadelphia Phillies	Reading Fightin Phils (AA)	26	3	8	4	0	0	5	0	0.348	0.423	0.522	0.945
Abraham Toro	1B	Kansas City Royals	Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)	24	3	6	2	1	2	5	0	0.286	0.375	0.762	1.137

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (April 28 to May 3)

Player	Position	Current Organization	Team(s)	APP	IP	W	ER	HA	BB	ERA	WHIP	K
Cohen Achen	P	Baltimore Orioles	Chesapeake Baysox (AA)	2	3.1	0	0	2	1	0.00	0.90	2
Tyler Boudreau	P	New York Yankees	Tampa Tarpons (A)	1	4	0	0	2	2	0.00	1.00	5
Mitch Bratt	P	Arizona Diamondbacks	Reno Aces (AAA)	1	5	0	1	3	0	1.80	0.60	6
Miguel Cienfuegos	P	San Diego Padres	El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA)	2	2.2	1	1	2	2	3.38	1.50	2
Cedric De Grandpre	P	Atlanta Braves	Rome Emperors (A+)	1	5	1	3	3	2	5.40	1.00	8
Thomas Ireland	P	Texas Rangers	Round Rock Express (AAA)	2	4.1	1	1	3	0	2.08	0.69	8
Ryan Magdic	P	Athletics	Lansing Lugnuts (A+)	3	4	1	0	3	0	0.00	0.75	1
Adam Maier	P	Seattle Mariners	Everett AquaSox (A+)	1	4	0	2	4	1	4.50	1.25	5
Jonah Tong	P	New York Mets	Syracuse Mets (AAA)	1	6	0	0	1	2	0.00	0.50	6
Adam Tulloch	P	Cleveland Guardians	Akron RubberDucks (AA)	1	2	0	0	1	1	0.00	1.00	1
Lucas Wepf	P	Los Angeles Dodgers	Tulsa Drillers (AA)	2	4	0	1	2	1	2.25	0.75	5
Matt Wilkinson	P	Cleveland Guardians	Akron RubberDucks (AA)	1	5	0	0	3	2	0.00	1.00	6

CBN Minor League Player of the Week: Jonah Tong