The Pirates, due to a fairly strong group of young players and to a long string of multi-year contracts for their core hitters (including Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Francisco Cervelli, Chris Stewart, John Jaso, David Freese, Josh Harrison and Jung Ho Kang) have a limited number of jobs available in camp this year. It makes sense, then, that the Bucs signed only a few veterans to minor-league deals this year, and that none of the veterans they did sign appear to have much chance of making the team.

There are, however, a few spots open. Let’s take a look.

FIRST BASE
Josh Bell
Age: 24
Bats: B
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

John Jaso
Age: 33
Bats: L
Contract status: One year, $4MM remaining on two-year contract
Options remaining: 0

The first base job appears to be Bell’s to lose, but there are a couple of wrinkles here. Bell did not move from the outfield to first base until fall of 2014, and his defense at first still rates as well below average. Also, he recently had knee surgery, although he has already been cleared to do everything but run. Assuming he’s healthy, he’ll likely get the job, with Jaso moving to a bench role. In that scenario, Bell could also see time in the outfield, with Jaso or Freese taking over first base when the Bucs wish to give one of their outfielders a rest.

Prediction: Bell wins the job.

THIRD BASE / BACKUP INFIELD
Philip Gosselin
Age: 28
Bats: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2020-21 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Alen Hanson
Age: 24
Bats: B
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 0

The Pirates’ group of position players appears mostly set, but there appears to be at least one job open, and a number of moving parts will factor into the Pirates’ choice. One is the status of Kang, who appeared in court in South Korea last week to answer for a DUI charge. It’s unknown when Kang will be able to report to camp. If he can’t be ready by Opening Day, Freese would likely take most of the playing time at third base, but a player like Gosselin’s chances of making the team would also increase.

Assuming Kang is ready, though, the team will likely have a bench of Stewart, Freese, Jaso and Adam Frazier, with one spot open. Super-utilityman Frazier played middle infield in the minors, but the bench is otherwise short on middle infield talent. The problem with both Gosselin and Hanson is that both are more second basemen than shortstops, but the Pirates also don’t really have a pure shortstop bench candidate unless they go somewhat off the beaten path and take someone like light-hitting minor-leaguer Gift Ngoepe north.

Between Gosselin and Hanson, Gosselin has much more big-league experience, having amassed 501 career big-league plate appearances over four years with the Braves and Diamondbacks. He also appears, generally, to be a better player than Hanson, who batted a disappointing .266/.318/.389 for Triple-A Indianapolis last year. But there is at least something to be said for Hanson’s candidacy — he’s a former top prospect who’s out of options, and his base-stealing ability would at least give Clint Hurdle an interesting tactical option off the bench. There is perhaps also a possibility the team could keep both — Kang could get stuck in Korea, and there might be a chance the Pirates could option Frazier, although that appears unlikely after his solid 2016 rookie season.

Prediction: Assuming Kang is ready, Gosselin makes the team, and the Pirates lose Hanson off waivers.

FIFTH STARTER
Tyler Glasnow
Age: 23
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Drew Hutchison
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract status: One year, $2.3MM; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2019-20 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Steven Brault
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

Trevor Williams
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 2

The pitcher to watch here is the 6-foot-8 Glasnow, who towers over the other three pitchers both literally and in terms of upside. Glasnow, though, has had trouble with his control and is still working on a third pitch — he arrived in camp this season throwing a new changeup after rarely using a change last season. The Pirates might feel he’s better off continuing to work out the kinks in the minors.

If that’s what they decide, the other three pitchers would battle for the final rotation spot, with the choice perhaps coming down to Hutchison and Brault. Hutchison arrived in the controversial Francisco Liriano trade last season and did not perform well in the Pirates’ organization down the stretch, either in the minors or the Majors. The Pirates’ decision to tender him, though, suggests that they see something in him. Hutchison also has plenty of big–league experience, unlike the other three candidates.

Brault fared well in the minors last season and would give the Bucs a left-handed option to fill out what otherwise figures to be an all-righty rotation, but he looks like a back-of-the-rotation type. Williams did good work for Triple-A Indianapolis but received fewer opportunities in the big leagues than Brault last season; he looks like a long shot.

Prediction: Hutchison wins the job over the howls of Pirates fans, but Brault pressures him early on.

BULLPEN (ONE SPOT)
Wade LeBlanc
Age: 32
Throws: L
Contract status: Signed to a one-year, $750K deal with a team option for $1.25MM or a $50K buyout in 2018
Options remaining: 0

A.J. Schugel
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2021-2022 offseason
Options remaining: 1

Tyler Webb
Age: 26
Throws: L
Contract status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options remaining: 3, but cannot be optioned as a Rule 5 pick

I assume here that Tony Watson, Daniel Hudson, Felipe Rivero, Juan Nicasio, Jared Hughes and Antonio Bastardo are assured jobs. The complication is that Watson, Rivero and Bastardo are all left-handed, as are LeBlanc and Webb. Bastardo’s name came up in trade rumors over the offseason, but the Pirates did not deal him, perhaps hindered by the late-breaking lefty relief market. He could be a logical trade candidate late in Spring Training as teams finalize their rosters, especially if a lefty reliever on another club suffers an injury. If Bastardo were to be dealt, LeBlanc and Webb’s chances of making the team would increase. It’s perhaps also worth noting that Hughes has an option and looked like a non-tender candidate following a mediocre 2016 season, but the Bucs did tender him and have shown few indications of tiring of his contact- and grounder-inducing ways.

Assuming Bastardo stays, that leaves one bullpen spot. On talent, Schugel looks like the best choice — he was quietly effective in the Bucs’ bullpen last year, and he’s right-handed to boot. He is, however, optionable. The team’s decision to extend LeBlanc last winter might indicate that he has the inside track, even though he’s left-handed. Webb, who the Pirates selected in the Rule 5 Draft last winter, is another possibility after he posted a solid 3.59 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with Triple-A Scranton in the Yankees’ system in 2016. It’s been years since the Pirates have kept a Rule 5 pick on their roster for any significant period of time, but Webb could have a real shot if he impresses in camp. Otherwise, LeBlanc could get the job, with the team continuing to look for opportunities to deal Bastardo.

Prediction: LeBlanc makes the team, loading the Pirates’ bullpen with lefties. Schugel heads to Indianapolis, and the Pirates offer Webb back to the Yankees.

[RELATED: Pittsburgh Pirates Depth Chart]