Tsung-Che Cheng Bio
Tsung-Che Cheng (Chinese: 鄭宗哲) is a Taiwanese professional baseball infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He signed with the Pirates as an international free agent in 2019 and made his MLB debut in 2025, becoming the 18th Taiwanese player ever to appear in a Major League game. Known for his speed, contact hitting, and defensive versatility across the middle of the infield, Cheng has climbed steadily through Pittsburgh’s farm system while also representing Taiwan in senior international competition.
Early Life and Background
Tsung-Che Cheng was born on July 26, 2001, in Jiuru, Pingtung County, Taiwan. He is the younger of two sons raised in a working-class household, with a father who worked as a truck driver and a mother who stayed at home. Growing up in a small township in southern Taiwan, Cheng was surrounded by baseball culture from an early age and took up the sport around the age of five. His earliest baseball inspiration came from fellow Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, a former New York Yankees ace, and Cheng originally intended to develop his own career on the mound.
As a teenager, Cheng attended Pu-Men High School, where he continued to refine his game. His training in the structured Taiwanese youth system, combined with his natural athleticism, drew the attention of international scouts. By the time he completed high school, he had already represented Taiwan at the 2019 U-18 Baseball World Cup, signaling that he was among the most promising young players in the country.
Path to Professional Baseball
Cheng’s path to professional baseball accelerated in 2019 when he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent on July 2, 2019. The deal came with a signing bonus of $380,000 and represented a significant commitment from the Pirates to a teenage middle infielder from Taiwan. He was initially scouted and developed as a potential pitcher, but Pittsburgh’s player development staff eventually moved him to a full-time position role where his speed and contact skills could shine.
His professional development was briefly delayed when the 2020 minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning Cheng did not appear in any official games that year. He finally made his professional debut in 2021, beginning a steady climb through Pittsburgh’s minor league affiliates. Shortly after signing, he also gained valuable experience on the international stage, representing Taiwan at the 2019 U-18 Baseball World Cup and later being named to the Taiwanese national team roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Tsung-Che Cheng Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Cheng made his professional debut with the Florida Complex League Pirates in 2021, splitting time at second base, third base, and shortstop. The varied defensive assignment reflected Pittsburgh’s desire to evaluate his versatility across the infield. After the 2021 minor league season ended, he joined the Caimanes de Barranquilla of the Colombian Winter League, where he helped the club win the 2022 Caribbean Series, earning an early championship on an international stage.
In 2022, Cheng spent the full season with the Bradenton Marauders of the Florida State League, settling in at shortstop. He appeared in 104 games and hit for a .270 batting average with a .376 on-base percentage and a .794 on-base plus slugging percentage, scoring 79 runs. Seven of his 38 extra-base hits were triples, leading the league in that category and in runs scored, while finishing second in on-base percentage, fourth in batting average, and fifth in on-base plus slugging percentage. His 33 stolen bases in 39 attempts led all minor leaguers in the Pirates organization. To close the year, he was assigned to the Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League.
Minor League Progression (2023–2024)
Entering the 2023 regular season, Cheng was ranked the thirtieth-best prospect in the Pittsburgh system by MLB Pipeline and was assigned to the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers. He reached the Double-A level for the first time on June 23, 2023, joining the Altoona Curve. During the season he set a new career high in triples, and by midseason MLB Pipeline had moved him up to the twenty-second-ranked Pirates prospect, reflecting his continued development.
On November 14, 2023, the Pirates added Cheng to their 40-man roster, protecting him from selection in the Rule 5 draft. He opened the 2024 season back at Double-A Altoona and hit .218 with a .320 on-base percentage and 11 home runs, 54 runs batted in, and 16 stolen bases across 126 appearances. On September 17, 2024, he was promoted to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, completing his first full circuit through Pittsburgh’s upper-level affiliates.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2025)
Cheng was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis to begin the 2025 season. On April 7, 2025, the Pirates promoted him to the major leagues for the first time, replacing injured infielder Jared Triolo. Two days later, on April 9, 2025, he made his major league debut against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the 18th Taiwanese player in Major League Baseball history. He appeared in three games for Pittsburgh during his rookie campaign, going 0-for-7 with three strikeouts, before being designated for assignment by the Pirates on December 19, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cheng is a contact-oriented, switch-impact middle infielder whose game is built around speed and on-base skills. He excels at putting the ball in play, working counts, and using his legs to pressure defenses on the base paths, as evidenced by his 33 stolen bases in 2022. Defensively, he has shown the ability to play second base, third base, and shortstop, giving his managers flexibility in how they deploy him around the diamond.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his most significant milestones, Cheng helped the Caimanes de Barranquilla win the 2022 Caribbean Series title, won a silver medal with Taiwan at the postponed 2022 Asian Games, and batted .333 as a leadoff hitter for Taiwan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His major league debut in April 2025 made him the 18th Taiwanese-born player ever to reach the majors, a notable cultural and historical marker for Taiwanese baseball.
Tsung-Che Cheng Career Wins
Although Cheng is still in the early stages of his Major League career, he has already accumulated meaningful team success at the international and winter-ball level. His most prominent team victory came with the Caimanes de Barranquilla during the 2022 Caribbean Series, followed by a silver medal with Taiwan at the 2022 Asian Games. He has not yet secured a regular-season minor league championship, but his consistent on-base skills and base-running production have made him a regular contributor on winning clubs throughout his development.
International and Winter Ball Highlights
Cheng’s first major team triumph came in the 2021–2022 Colombian Winter League and postseason, when he helped the Caimanes de Barranquilla capture the 2022 Caribbean Series title. He later represented Taiwan at the postponed 2022 Asian Games, appearing in five baseball games and batting .318 with a .455 on-base percentage in 22 at-bats, helping his country bring home a silver medal. He also served as a leadoff hitter for Taiwan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, batting .333 with three runs batted in over the course of the tournament.
Other Performances
Beyond those headline international events, Cheng has performed strongly in winter and developmental leagues, including his time with the Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League following the 2022 minor league season. His consistent production across multiple leagues and formats has reinforced his reputation as a reliable, high-contact middle infielder.
Tsung-Che Cheng Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Tsung-Che Cheng was raised in Jiuru, Pingtung County, Taiwan, the younger of two sons. His father worked as a truck driver and his mother was a homemaker, providing a modest, working-class upbringing that helped shape his disciplined approach to the game. His early admiration for Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang helped spark his lifelong connection to baseball.
Personal Life
Cheng is married to his wife, Irene. The couple first met in elementary school and began dating after high school, building a relationship that has carried through his move into professional baseball. He is also known by the nickname “Z,” a reference to the fact that the pinyin for the three Chinese characters of his name, Zhèng Zōng Zhé, each begins with the letter Z, even though his official romanization follows the Wade–Giles system.
2025 Season Performance
Tsung-Che Cheng’s 2025 season was a landmark year in his young career. After being optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis to begin the year, he earned his first major league call-up on April 7, 2025, when the Pirates needed infield depth following an injury to Jared Triolo. He made his MLB debut two days later against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the 18th Taiwanese player in Major League Baseball history, a milestone that resonated throughout Taiwanese baseball circles.
His rookie major league stint was brief, as he appeared in three games and went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts before being sent back to Indianapolis. The Pirates designated him for assignment on December 19, 2025, opening the next chapter of his career. Despite the limited major league action, his season reflected the steady progress of a middle infielder whose speed, contact skills, and defensive versatility continued to draw organizational interest.
Looking ahead, Cheng remains a young Taiwanese-born infielder with experience at every level of the minor leagues and a brief major league debut already on his resume. His combination of plate discipline, base-running ability, and infield flexibility should keep him firmly in consideration for future major league opportunities, whether back in Pittsburgh or with another organization. With international experience at the World Baseball Classic and Asian Games already on his record, he also remains a potential contributor to future editions of Taiwan’s national team rosters.