Mets Minors Recap: Elian Peña Shines in St. Lucie Debut

Jonah Tong got roughed up in his second start of the Triple-A campaign. He only lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs (four earned) on four hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Control has been an issue at times in Tong’s minor league career, and this start was no different. Only 34 of his 60 pitches were thrown for strikes, and his average four-seam fastball velocity was down nearly two miles per hour from last year, which is not uncommon for this time of the year. Despite the rough start, Tong is still looking to develop his secondary pitches to prepare for an eventual call-up to the Mets.

This loss brought Syracuse to 3-3 before squaring off again with Toledo at 4:05 PM for Fizzy Friday & Fireworks day.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (3-3) 7, Toledo Mud Hens (2-4) 17

BOX SCORE

• DH Nick Morabito 2-for-4, BB, 2B, R (.818 OPS)
• SS Ronny Mauricio 3-for-5, 2B, RBI (.697 OPS)
• LF Ryan Clifford 2-for-5, 2 K (.572 OPS)
• C Hayden Senger 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R (1.257 OPS)
• 2B Vidal Bruján 2-for-2, 2B, BB, R, K (1.127 OPS)

Offense was not the issue for Syracuse, as the team was able to put together 13 hits and score seven runs. Five Syracuse players collected multi-hits, most notably Senger, who added two home runs and three runs batted in, raising his 2026 OPS to 1.257. Mauricio continued to heat up, adding three hits, including a double. Clifford, MMO’s No. 5 prospect, tallied his first multi-hit game of 2026. Clifford has had hits in five out of the first six games in Syracuse, though he’s also struck out in five of the first six games as well.

• RHP Jonah Tong 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K (6.35 ERA)
• RHP Ryan Lambert 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K (13.50 ERA)
• RHP Alex Carrillo  1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB (27.00 ERA)
• RHP Dan Hammer 1 1/3 IP, 1 H , 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Daniel Duarte 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (6.75 ERA)

It was not just Tong who struggled on the Syracuse pitching staff. Seven Met pitchers made an appearance, and only two of them did not give up any earned runs. Lambert gave up two extra base hits and a run before striking out the side in the fourth inning. Carrillo, a familiar face to some Mets fans, let the game get out of hand in the fifth with a combination of loud contact and a pair of walks, surrendering four earned runs while only being able to record one out.

Single-A

St. Lucie Mets (0-1) 3, Palm Beach Cardinals (1-0) 6

BOX SCORE

• SS Elian Peña 2-for-4, 2B, BB, K (1.350 OPS)
• 1B Randy Guzman 0-for-4, BB, K (.200 OPS)
• DH Julio Zayas 2-for-5, 2R, 2K (1.000 OPS)
• LF AJ Salgado 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB (1.400 OPS)

The St. Lucie Mets opened their season with a 6-3 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals. This game marked the official stateside debut of 18-year-old shortstop prospect Elian Peña. Peña, MMO’s no. 8 prospect, notably bypassed the Complex League by being assigned directly to St. Lucie in 2026. Peña tore up the Dominican Summer League in 2025, producing a .949 OPS, nine home runs, 33 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and an equal number of walks and strikeouts. His talent was on direct display in the opener, as Peña went 2-for-4 with a well-struck double to right, while also drawing a walk. Zayas added a pair of hits and runs, and Salgado hit the team’s first home run of the season.

• LHP Nicolas Carreno 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2K (3.86 ERA)
• RHP Tyler McLoughlin 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (16.20 ERA)
• RHP Omar Victorino 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 1 K (3.00 ERA)
• RHP Felix Cepeda 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER (0.00 ERA)

Opening day starter Nicolas Carreno was up to 96 mph. Carreno made a brief appearance for St. Lucie last year, pitching six innings with a 1.50 ERA. McLoughlin, the Mets’ 10th-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Georgia, made his debut for St. Lucie last season. McLoughlin, throwing from a nearly sidearm arm slot, looks to establish himself this year as a relief pitching prospect in the Mets’ farm system. Cepeda, formerly a member of the Boston Red Sox farm system, made his Mets debut, throwing a scoreless inning to start his season.

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