Position: SS
Height: 5’7”
Weight: 173 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
Born: 07/26/2001
Country: Taiwan
How Acquired: International Free Agent, 2019
Bonus: $380,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: 2023
Minor League Free Agency: 2027
Options Left: 2
Overview
Cheng is a shortstop with excellent all-around tools, the one exception being power. He has a very good approach at the plate and has shown the ability to hit for high average. Some scouts have rated him a 20 for power, but he clearly has more than that. Cheng runs well and has shown the actions, range and arm to stay at short. He seldom makes errors. In fact, he generally shows outstanding instincts for the game.
2020-22
After missing the pandemic season, Cheng was out at the beginning of 2021 after being hit in the face by a pitch in camp. He got into action a couple weeks into the season and had a strong debut, showing great plate discipline and surprising power. In the field, he split his time evenly among second, third and short, and handled all three positions well.
2022-24
In 2022, Cheng spent the full season at Bradenton, playing mostly short. His hitting was up and down, with slumps in May and July. In August, he got blistering hot, batting 389/517/611. Cheng did have trouble with LHPs, posting just a .550 OPS against them, compared to .856 against RHPs. He was second in the league in steals, while playing most of the season at age 20.
In 2023, Cheng had a huge first half for Greensboro. He hit for a lot of power, batting 308/406/575 with nine home runs, and continued to show excellent strike zone judgment, with 35 walks and 47 strikeouts. The home park didn’t account for the power, as Cheng hit much better on the road. The Pirates moved him up to Altoona and he had a tougher time, batting 251/304/352. His K rate didn’t increase, but he walked a lot less. On the season, Cheng stole 26 bases. With Greensboro, he split his time between second and short. At Altoona, he played mostly short. He committed only nine errors on the season. The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster after the season.
Cheng spent most of 2024 with Altoona and his hitting was nearly identical to the same level in 2023: 218/320/341. He did walk more, but he also struck out more. He got a late-season promotion to Indianapolis and went 6-for-13. In the field, he played 111 games at short and 26 at second, a rare instance in the Pirates’ system of an infielder mostly staying put at one position.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2019: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent.
November 14, 2023: Contract purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates.