| Player: Jonah Tong | |||||||||||
| Org: New York Mets | Highest Level: MLB | Position(s): RHP | |||||||||
| Height: 6’1″ | Weight: 180 lbs. | Bats: Right | Throws: Right | ||||||||
| Summary: The delivery is unlike almost anything in professional baseball. A brief initial move toward the plate triggers an exaggerated leg lift with heavy counter-rotation before driving down the mound into a cross-body landing — massive trunk tilt and a sharp head whack at release as the arm climbs to an over-the-top slot. The result is a sub-six-foot release point paired with an over-the-top arm angle, a combination that almost no other pitcher replicates, and nearly seven feet of extension that generates elite induced vertical break on a four-seamer built to miss bats at the top of the zone. The fastball averages 95 and has touched 98-99 with velocity added in each of the last two seasons. The Vulcan-grip changeup is the signature offering — roughly 20 inches of total separation from the fastball, difficult to identify out of the hand, and capable of generating elite whiff rates when the feel is there. The combination of the delivery deception and the changeup’s movement profile makes the two-pitch combination as difficult to navigate as any in the system. A downer curveball with serious depth and velocity separation flashes above-average when located, and a slider that has evolved from a cutter shape toward something with more depth gives him additional breaking ball options — though both are inconsistently located and the glove-side tug on the slider has been a persistent issue. Command and predictability are the developmental priorities that will define the ceiling. The effortful mechanics make repeatable command a long-term challenge, and a heavy reliance on the fastball-changeup combination has made the approach easier to game plan against at the highest level. If the breaking balls sharpen into reliable weapons and the command takes a meaningful step forward, the mid-rotation projection is well within reach — the stuff and deception give it every chance to get there. | |||||||||||
Shaun Kernahan is the founder and lead writer of Three Quarter Slot, where he blends scouting precision with a storyteller’s eye for the human side of the game. Based in Parker, Colorado, he has covered baseball prospects at every level since 2013, delivering in-depth evaluations, draft analysis, and developmental insight. Over the years, he has built Three Quarter Slot into a trusted home for thoughtful prospect coverage, detailed scouting reports, and a grounded look at how talent evolves
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