""It's great to be young and a New York Giant," second baseman Larry Doyle declared to Damon Runyon in 1911, the year Doyle turned 25, the season the Giants won the first of three consecutive National League pennants. More than a century later, you could hear an echo of Laughing Larry in the earnest sentiments expressed into Michelle Margaux's SNY microphone: "I love being a Met. It's truly one of the coolest things I've ever done in my entire life.""
"Ballplayers get more done before they're 23 than a lot of us do before we turn 63, which, incidentally, is what I'm doing today. Young Jonah spoke his truth in late 2025, following what we'll call his first rookie season. He didn't throw enough innings to use up his freshman eligibility, so he'll get to be a rookie again in 2026. So will his fellow elves/phenoms Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat."
"McLean, Sproat, and Tong - Generation MST3K to me - couldn't do enough in their initial MLB go-round after responding to the Mets' SOS to keep the team from being AWOL during the NLWCS and any further postseason alphabet soup action. Yeah, as if it was their fault. The sneak peek they gave us of their evident talent and gestating poise was sufficient vis-à-vis our anticipation of getting acquainted with them."
Jonah Tong, age 22, expressed strong enthusiasm about being a Met while helping at the team's holiday party. Ballplayers often accomplish more before age 23 than many do before age 63. Tong completed a first rookie season in late 2025 but did not throw enough innings to lose rookie eligibility, so he will again be a rookie in 2026. Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Tong each answered an unexpected call to the majors and showed flashes of potential. McLean logged 48 innings and frequently resembled an ace. The trio helped keep the Mets competitive during the NLWCS and provided a promising glimpse of future contributions.
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