Canadian pitching prospect Jonah Tong officially broke into the big leagues last night, making his major league debut with the New York Mets.

Tong worked five innings, throwing 97 pitches (63 strikes) against Eury Perez and the Miami Marlins. He allowed four runs on six hits, struck out six, and limited the damage with sharp pitch placement and confidence on the mound. His final line included 17 called strikes, 22 foul balls, and 16 balls put in play. He also generated seven whiffs on the day and was a bit nervous, tacking on two wild pitches in his debut.

The 21-year-old right-hander from Markham, Ontario, looked poised on the mound and benefited from strong run support by the Mets’ offense in a 19-9 win over the Marlins, the first of his career.

Despite giving up a few runs, only one of which was credited to the right-hander, Tong’s command and pitch mix stood out. His curveball and vulcan changeup proved effective against major league hitters, while his fastball topped out at 95.4 mph. He rarely looked rattled, painting corners and working low in the zone to keep Marlins hitters off balance. He got the first three Marlins batters out and notched his first strikeout in the third inning, getting Joey Wiemer to chase a low curveball.

Notably, he only opened 9 of 23 at-bats with a first-pitch strike, but his sequencing and pitch variety made him difficult to square up. His composure and approach demonstrated why he advanced quickly through the Mets’ farm system after being selected in the 2022 MLB Draft.

Fans were impressed with his delivery, reminding them of former San Francisco Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum with the way he throws over the top with a high finishing leg kick.

Tong’s debut marks an exciting milestone for Canadian baseball and for the Mets organization, becoming the 23rd Canuck to suit up in the big leagues this season. With his repertoire and presence, he projects to be a key arm for New York moving forward.