The Mets made headlines on Friday by splashing $126 million on star infielder Bo Bichette, but General Manager David Stearns was back to work on Saturday focusing on the margins of the roster. The team announced they have claimed 24-year-old infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates, adding a layer of athletic, left-handed depth to their minor league system.
Cheng, a native of Taiwan who signed as an international free agent back in 2019, is the definition of a “rainy day” acquisition. While he won’t be challenging Francisco Lindor or Bichette for playing time anytime soon, he offers the kind of versatile defensive profile and base-running utility that successful organizations stash in Triple-A for emergencies.
A Speed-and-Discipline Profile
Cheng’s offensive numbers won’t jump off the page, but they reveal a specific skillset the Mets value: discipline and speed. Spending the majority of his 2025 season with the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate, Cheng struggled to make consistent impact contact, slashing just .209/.307/.271 over 107 games. His power was virtually non-existent, as he recorded just one home run and posted a meager .062 ISO (Isolated Power).
However, Cheng possesses a keen eye at the plate. Despite his struggles with the bat, he maintained an 11.8% walk rate in Triple-A last season, continuing a career-long trend of double-digit walk percentages. When he does get on base, he is a threat to run, swiping 18 bases for Indianapolis in 2025 and tallying as many as 33 steals back in Single-A in 2022.
Major League Cup of Coffee
Cheng actually made his Major League debut with Pittsburgh in 2025, though it was a brief and forgettable cameo. He appeared in just three games, failing to record a hit in seven plate appearances while striking out three times.
The Mets aren’t acquiring him for what he did in those three games; they are acquiring him for his glove and his legs. With experience at both second base and shortstop, Cheng will likely report to Triple-A Syracuse to serve as a primary depth option. In an offseason defined by massive spending, moves like this ensure that if the injury bug bites the infield, the Mets have a capable defender ready to step in and draw a walk or steal a bag.