Mets outfield prospect A.J. Ewing delivers in big league debut after fast rise through minors

NEW YORK (AP) — True to his baseball tools, speedy outfielder A.J. Ewing made a rapid rise through the minors.

He's certainly off to a fast start with the New York Mets, too.

Called up by the struggling Mets after just 12 games at Triple-A Syracuse, the 21-year-old Ewing was awfully impressive in his major league debut Tuesday night. Playing center field and batting eighth, he ripped an RBI triple in the seventh inning for his first career hit in a 10-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

“Good. Comfortable. Confident. Excited,” Ewing said when asked to describe how he felt. “It definitely beat my expectations. It’s indescribable what it was like to play up here in a big league stadium. It’s great.”

Ewing became the first Mets player with a triple in his major league debut. But he provided much more, too. He also walked three times, scored twice, drove in two runs, stole a base and flied out to the center-field warning track.

In total, exactly the sort of jolt the sagging Mets (16-25) were seeking.

“Man, he was pretty much perfect at the plate today,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He was just under control from the very beginning. And like I said, it’s pretty impressive.”

Ewing received a warm ovation from the Citi Field crowd of 36,382 before his first plate appearance, and he worked a seven-pitch walk from starter Jack Flaherty that loaded the bases with one out in the second.

“I just think that’s kind of part of my identity as a hitter is I’m patient. I see a lot of pitches and I make pitchers work hard,” Ewing said. “Just looking around when I got to first base for the first time, that was when it kind of hit. ... Like wow, this is baseball.”

Desperate to spark a stagnant lineup, New York brought Ewing to the majors after he had played only 58 games above High-A ball.

The high-priced Mets began the day ranked 29th among the 30 big league teams in batting average (.222), tied for last in runs (139) and stuck at the bottom by far with a .628 OPS.

“I’m confident in my ability and I’m just going to play the same game that I’ve been playing,” Ewing said before the game. “It’s awesome to be here and I’m ready to go.”

Luis Robert Jr., the team’s opening-day center fielder, is on the injured list with a lumbar spine disk herniation. New York is also missing star shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Jorge Polanco because of injuries.

“The situation the big league club is in and the opportunity that’s here right now is certainly part of it. But we would not have made the decision to promote A.J. if we didn’t think he was ready for the moment,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said.

Utility player Andy Ibáñez was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Ewing, who walked again in the sixth and stole second. He was the club's second-ranked minor league prospect behind pitcher Jonah Tong, according to MLB.com.

The left-handed hitter was batting .326 with three doubles, a triple and four RBIs in 51 plate appearances at Syracuse. He had drawn five walks, stolen five bases and scored nine runs.

“There was a lot to like from the very beginning of spring training watching him play and go about his business. The energy, the passion, the smile, and then the tools. You know, the skill set that he brings. It was just eye-opening, to be honest with you,” Mendoza said.

“Obviously, he can help you win baseball games in a lot of different ways. Defensively, baserunning. Offensively it’s a simple swing, simple approach, short to the baseball, uses the whole field. And the makeup of the player. Even though he’s only 21, he’s pretty mature and he’s super consistent. That shows us that, hey, let’s give him an opportunity here.”

Ewing stole 70 bases in 81 attempts combined at three minor league levels last year. He also played second base and both corner outfield spots in the minors, but Mendoza said the Mets will primarily keep him in center initially to help him acclimate to the majors.

“Pretty well-rounded player right now. There aren’t a ton of holes in his game,” Stearns said. “And then there is this ability to handle different situations. He’s a pretty mature kid for a young player. He’s demonstrated that throughout his time in our system. That doesn’t mean this is going to go flawlessly for him.”

The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Ewing reached Double-A Binghamton last year, hitting .339 in 28 games, and batted .349 with a 1.053 OPS and 12 steals in 18 games at that level this season before getting promoted to Syracuse.

He was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 amateur draft out of Springboro High School in Ohio with the pick the Mets received as compensation for losing Jacob deGrom in free agency.

Ewing said his nerves were dissipating as game time approached. He said his father would be in the Citi Field stands Tuesday night along with some close family friends.

“As soon as I got drafted it was like a dream of mine to play here,” Ewing said. “I’m ready to compete.”

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New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing, right, celebrates with Mets' pitcher Austin Warren, center, and catcher Luis Torrens, left, after winning a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) successfully steals second base during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) celebrates with a teammate after hitting an RBI triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) hits an RBI triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) is dunked with gatorade after winning a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) walks in dugout before a baseball game against Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9), right, and New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge (3), left, talk before a baseball game against Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws to first base after forcing New York Mets' A.J. Ewing (9) out at second base during the second inning of a baseball game , Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9), left, stands on first base drawing a walk during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) warms up before a baseball game against Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Princess Catherine is set to make her first overseas trip since announcing her cancer was in remission, traveling to Italy for a two-day tour focused on early childhood education that will undoubtedly receive widespread media attention.

The princess, commonly known as Kate, will travel to Reggio Emilia in northern Italy to learn about its child-centered approach to early education, which has become a focal point for educators around the world. The trip is part of what her office called an international “fact-finding mission” to explore different approaches to supporting young children and their carers.

The choice of destination for Kate’s first trip abroad since her 2024 cancer diagnosis is no coincidence as early years development is the signature cause of the mother of three who will one day be queen.

“She wants to make a point that she is going to keep making this her cause," said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine.

The Reggio Emilia approach is based on the idea that young children have many different ways of thinking, understanding and expressing themselves, and that teachers need to work with their students to help them learn.

The visit will highlight the idea that the environment and human relationships that surround children are crucial to laying the foundations for a resilient and healthy future, Kensington Palace said in a statement.

“The Reggio Emilia approach clearly suits the narrative at the start of international operations,’’ Little said.

The visit is part of her work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she founded in 2021 to increase public understanding of the importance of supporting children in the first five years of life.

One of Britain’s most popular royals, the Princess of Wales has proved to be adept at focusing attention on matters she cares about.

When Kate announced that she had completed chemotherapy treatment in a soft-focus, Insta-ready video, she ventured into realms not previously inhabited by the royal family, whose members traditionally shied away from talking about their health.

And she did it in a new way, using social media to share the fact that for all her wealth and privilege, her life had been upended by cancer, like so many others.

Then, later, when she announced she was in remission, she spent the day supporting other cancer patients at the hospital where she received treatment.

In a statement on social media, she offered her thanks to everyone who helped her and her husband, Prince William, as they navigated the ups and downs of treatment and recovery. She hugged patients at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London and described her own treatment as “exceptional.”

“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery," the princess, now 44, wrote in a note signed with her initial, C. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal."

Her new normal involves becoming the go-to advocate for early years education, which refers to the learning and development of children from birth to five years of age.

There’s lots to do in Britain, where advocates say there aren’t enough spaces to go around and many teachers don’t have the training they need.

Edoardo Masset, associate research director at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, said Kate’s focus on early childhood development is important because it brings attention to an issue that really matters to children.

“This relationship between early years education and success later in life is supported not only by strong theoretical arguments, but also by a large body of evidence on the effectiveness of programs for preschool children,’’ Masset said in a blog post.

FILE - Britain's Princess Kate is seen at the British Fashion Council at 180 Studios in central London on May 13, 2025. (Aaron Chown, Pool Photo via AP, File)