Position Preview: 2024 Team MVP Liover Peguero Highlights Indy’s Projected Infield

A number of familiar faces are likely to return to the Circle City in 2025

By Mark Reed

March 12, 2025

INDIANAPOLIS – As the Indianapolis Indians gear up for the 2025 season at Victory Field, set to kick off on Tuesday, April 1, players of every position group are down in Bradenton, Fla. honing their skills at Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training. Indy’s projected lineup, particularly in the infield category, could

SS Liover Peguero: Peguero spent most of 2024 with Indianapolis, earning Team MVP honors. The 24-year-old played 128 games with the Indians, hitting .257 (127-for-495) with a .729 OPS and leading all Indianapolis hitters in hits, RBI (79), doubles (29) and walks (46). Peguero has played in 63 games with Pittsburgh since making his major league debut in 2022, including three games to conclude the 2024 season. At the big-league level, he owns a .237 career batting average (50-for-211) with five doubles, seven home runs, 28 RBI and a .650 OPS.

SS Tsung-Che Cheng: Cheng, 23, is rated as the Pirates’ No. 19 prospect according to Baseball America. He is also listed among the organization’s top tools list as the hitter with the best strike-zone discipline and best defensive infielder. The Taiwan native spent most of the 2024 season with Double-A Altoona, playing in 126 games with a .218 batting average (92-for-422), 19 doubles, 11 home runs, 54 RBI, 16 stolen bases and a .661 OPS. Cheng concluded the season with Indianapolis, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a double, RBI and 1.126 OPS in six games.

3B Malcom Nuñez: Nuñez, 24, earned the Indianapolis Indians Most Improved award following a 2024 campaign in which he hit .250 (117-for-468) with 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 65 RBI and a .675 OPS in 128 games. Nuñez was acquired from the Cardinals on Aug. 1, 2023, with RHP Johan Oviedo in exchange for LHP Jose Quintana and RHP Chris Stratton. Since his acquisition, the Cuban has appeared in 200 games with Indianapolis, totaling a .245 batting average (177-for-722) with 29 doubles, 19 home runs, 100 RBI and a .677 OPS.

INF Alika Williams: Williams, a 2020 first-round selection by the Rays, was acquired from Tampa Bay on June 2, 2023, in exchange for RHP Robert Stevenson. The 26-year-old split the 2024 season between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. With the Pirates, he hit .207 (18-for-87) with six extra-base hits, five RBI and a .541 OPS in 37 games. Conversely, he hit .311 (51-for-164) with 12 extra-base hits, 13 RBI and a .780 OPS in 41 games with the Indians. The Pirates’ No. 22 prospect entering 2024 according to Baseball America has also shown the ability to play most infield positions, appearing in 35 games at second base, 39 at shortstop and eight at third base between both levels in 2024.

1B Darick Hall: Hall, 29, was selected in the 14th round of the 2016 draft by the Phillies and spent his entire career in Philadelphia’s system until being signed by Pittsburgh as a minor league free agent this offseason. The Dallas Baptist (Texas) University alum spent the 2024 season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, hitting .236 (102-for-432) with 17 doubles, 16 home runs, 72 RBI and a .707 OPS. Hall spent parts of 2022 and 2023 with the Phillies, appearing in 60 games with a .226 batting average (43-for-190) with nine doubles, 10 home runs, 19 RBI and a .700 OPS.

At the catching position, Jason Delay, Endy Rodríguez and Henry Davis are all continuing to fight for a spot on the big league roster.