The Pirates are placing infielder Jared Triolo on the injured list and recalling shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng from Triple-A Indianapolis. Alex Stumpf was the first to break the news on Monday afternoon.
The @Pirates are calling up their No. 17 prospect, Tsung-Che Cheng, for his MLB debut, per @AlexJStumpf.
More on the 23-year-old shortstop: https://t.co/Izr1WHMZGN pic.twitter.com/whZaZzAO1z
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 7, 2025
Triolo to IL as Pirates Recall Cheng
It’s a lower back injury that’s sidelined Triolo, who won a Gold Glove Award in the utility category last year. Triolo was penciled into, and then scratched from, the starting lineup for Sunday’s home game against the New York Yankees. As the Pirates haven’t officially announced the move, the severity of the injury and how long Triolo is expected to be out are unknown.
So far this season, like many of his teammates, Triolo is off to a slow start. He’s just 1-for-17 in six games while filling in at every infield position except shortstop, where he was scheduled to start on Sunday. He’s a career .236/.319/.333 hitter with 12 home runs and 67 RBI in 185 major league games from 2023 to now.
Who is Cheng?
Cheng is a 23-year-old left-handed-hitting shortstop who’s ranked as the Pirates No. 17 prospect. Coincidentally, at Indianapolis, he, too, is off to a 1-for-17 start. He made better use of his 17 at-bats in the spring training games, tallying six hits, including two doubles and a home run. Additionally, he was the starting shortstop and leadoff hitter for the Pirates prospects in this year’s Spring Breakout game. In five seasons at all minor league levels, he’s hit .260/.359/.411, 34 HR, and 194 RBI while swiping 92 bags. He was scheduled to arrive in Pittsburgh in 2025, although not this soon.
His OBP suggests a table-setter; that’s how he’s described in MLB.com’s scouting report. Cheng is a contact hitter who uses the whole field and, unlike his Pirates teammates, is said to have a good two-strike approach. Defensively, he’s said to have good hands, range, and arm. He has never made more than 12 errors in a minor league season.
How Cheng Fits
How the Pirates plan to use Cheng is unknown. He’s played other infield positions in the minors and is probably ticketed for a utility role. As the regular shortstop, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is one of the few bright spots on the Pirates in the early going, Cheng is unlikely to slide into that spot on a daily basis. Manager Derek Shelton never lets his reserve players rot on the bench for long without giving them a start. With three home games coming up against the St. Louis Cardinals and given the toxic atmosphere at PNC Park lately, the best option might be simply letting Cheng absorb the milieu for a day or two. It will be his major league debut whenever Cheng gets into a game.
Interestingly, the Pirates bypassed Liover Peguero, who has major league experience and was once a highly regarded prospect. He’s 4-for-20 in Indianapolis and didn’t show much in the spring, going 2-for-15, albeit with a home run.
Main Photo Credits: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
