Pirates Prospect Watch: Tsung-Che Cheng’s Spectacular Season Continues

One Pittsburgh Pirates’ prospect that has really started to emerge this season is infielder Tsung-Che Cheng, who has spent the year with High-A Greensboro.

After another big night at the plate on Thursday, Cheng is now hitting .321 on the season and carries an OPS north of 1.000.

Due to his performance with the Grasshoppers, a promotion to Double-A Altoona could be getting closer for Cheng.

Cheng was joined by these Pirates’ prospects as the standouts from Thursday’s minor league action.

Indianapolis (29-35)

C Henry Davis

• Game stats: 2 for 3, one double, one run, two walks, one steal
• Season stats: .321/.472/.571, two doubles, one triple, one home run, three RBIs, two steals, eight games

2B Nick Gonzales

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one double, two RBIs, one run, one walk
• Season stats: .254/.356/.428, 11 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 25 RBIs, one steal, 51 games

A pair of top Pirates’ prospects in Davis and Gonzales led a big offensive night for Indianapolis, but the Indians were edged out 10-8 by the Iowa Cubs.

Endy Rodriguez doubled and was on base twice while Jared Triolo had two hits and a run scored.

Altoona (30-28)

2B Liover Peguero

• Game stats: 2 for 5, one home run, one RBI, one run
• Season stats: .267/.339/.444, 14 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 14 steals, 54 games

RHP Aaron Shortridge

• Game stats: 6.0 innings, three hits, no runs, three walks, six strikeouts
• Season stats: 3-4, 5.60 ERA, 34er/54.2ip, 28 walks, 44 strikeouts, 13 appearances/12 starts

Peguero’s homer and Shortridge’s six shutout innings weren’t enough for Altoona in their 6-3 loss to the Somerset Patriots.

Pirates prospect Matt Gorski was 2 for 5 with a run scored and stole three bases in the loss.

Greensboro (32-25)

SS Tsung-Che Cheng

• Game stats: 4 for 5, one double, one run
• Season stats: .321/.

3B Shawn Ross

• Game stats: 2 for 5, one home run, two RBIs, one run
• Season stats: .219/.286/.531, one double, three home runs, five RBIs, nine games

Cheng recorded a four-hit game and Ross homered for Greensboro in their 6-5 win over the Greenville Drive.

Ernny Orodonez also homered while Pirates prospect Will Matthiessen hit a pair of doubles. Brendan Dixon and Tres Gonzalez also had multi-hit games.

Bradenton (31-29)

DH Nick Cimillo

• Game stats: 1 for 3, one home run, one RBI, one run, one walk
• Season stats: .253/.398/.547, five doubles, one triple, five home runs, 13 RBIs, 26 games

RF Rodolfo Nolasco

• Game stats: 1 for 3, one home run, one RBI, one run
• Season stats: .250/.367/.485, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 29 RBIs, four steals, 39 games

Despite homers from Cimillo and Nolasco, the Marauders were defeated by the Fort Myers Mighty Muscles 7-4.

Pirates prospect Wilber Dotel allowed only one run and struck out five in 4.0 innings in the start for Bradenton.