Tsung-Che Cheng flashes power with 2-run homer, but Tigers rally past Pirates

BRADENTON, Fla. — Tsung-Che Cheng didn’t join the Pittsburgh Pirates at spring training last year because he was playing for his native Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic.

When the 22-year-old shortstop the Pirates call “Z” saw his name in the starting lineup against the Detroit Tigers, Cheng had a premonition.

“Before the game today, I felt that ‘Oh, I feel like I’m gonna hit a home run today,’ ” Cheng said through interpreter Charles Chiang, “and it just happened.”

Cheng drilled Detroit right-hander Alex Lange’s 2-0 fastball 423 feet to the deepest part of the ballpark in center for a two-run homer in the third inning of a 5-3 loss to the Tigers on Wednesday in a Grapefruit League game at LECOM Park.

“Z’s a good hitter,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “He stays behind the ball. He has a ton of energy.”

Connor Joe added a solo shot with two outs for a 3-0 lead in the third, but the Tigers answered with homers by former Pirates outfielder Bligh Madris off Aroldis Chapman in the fifth and Anthony Benboom and Wenceel Perez, who both took Dauri Moreta deep in the eighth.

Cheng is ranked the No. 7 prospect in the Pirates’ system by Baseball America. He won the Omar Moreno Award as their best base runner in the minor leagues in 2022, when he had 33 steals for Low-A Bradenton, but Cheng has proven he’s also capable of flashing power. He hit a tying, three-run homer for the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth of a 6-6 tie with Toronto during spring training in April 2022.

The 5-foot-7, 173-pound Cheng hit 13 homers last season, split between High-A Greensboro (nine) and Double-A Altoona (four). Cheng batted .308 with a .980 OPS in 57 games at Greensboro to earn the promotion.

“Yes, I’m very happy that I hit a home run today,” Cheng said. “I’m going to continue to hit with the same hitting approach and try to hit the ball hard.”

When the Pirates added Cheng and right-hander Braxton Ashcraft to the 40-man roster in November to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft, Cheng had no idea as he was asleep because it was the middle of the night in Taiwan. When he awoke, Cheng had a nosebleed.

“Then I just checked my phone, and I was like ‘Oh man, I’m on the 40-man roster,’ ” Cheng said, with a laugh. “I always hoped I can be on the (active) roster. But it’s a long way until it actually happens.”