The Pirates announced the signing Tuesday afternoon. Gong will report to the club's Pirate City complex in Bradenton, Fla., and begin his professional career with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates.
Gong is said to speak English and has made several trips to the United States, including a two-month stay last fall to take part in the BlueClaws Baseball Academy in Lakewood, N.J. He began playing baseball through MLB's Play Ball program in Shanghai.
Outfielder Xu Guiyuan, known as "Itchy Xu," signed with the Orioles in 2015, becoming the first player from MLB's three development centers in China to sign with a club.