The New York Mets have been relying on several minor league pitchers of late due to some injuries and struggles in their rotation. And now, they're set to switch up their pitching staff again, this time with a move involving one of the team's top prospects. Right-handed pitcher Jonah Tong, New York's No. 2 prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline, has been optioned to Triple-A, the Mets announced on Wednesday. In a corresponding move, right-hander Joey Gerber is being called up from Triple-A Syracuse to replace Tong on New York's big league roster. Tong spent just under two weeks with New York after being promoted to the majors on May 22. The 22-year-old made his first MLB appearance of 2026 on that same date, tossing three scoreless innings of relief against the Miami Marlins. But on Tuesday, the young righty threw 3 1/3 innings against the Seattle Mariners and gave up four earned runs. He threw 83 pitches in that appearance, so the Mets most likely felt the need to get a fresh arm on the roster for their upcoming games. What's next for Jonah Tong after demotion to Triple-A? May 27, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jonah Tong (21) delivers a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn ImagesOverall, Tong appeared in three games for the Mets in his first stint in the majors this year. The hard-throwing righty posted a 3.60 ERA with seven strikeouts and seven walks allowed in 10 innings. Most notably, though, the top prospect was used as a bulk reliever this time around. Last year, when Tong made his MLB debut, he pitched in five games for New York, and all five outings were starts. The 22-year-old has had a roller coaster ride of a season so far in the minors. Tong has a 5.68 ERA in nine starts for the Syracuse Mets this year, striking out 55 hitters in 38 innings. But following his usage with the big league club, it'll be interesting to see whether or not the young hurler is immediately reinserted into the Triple-A rotation. The Mets have also turned to a few other minor league arms so far this year, including right-hander Christian Scott and left-hander Zach Thornton. While New York seemingly needed to send Tong down to get a rested reliever up in the majors, it wouldn't be surprising to see the top prospect back with the Mets sooner rather than later. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow