The Pirates have had top shortstop prospects coming up the ranks for years now, and two more are still making their way toward the Majors.

So it¡¯s become a bit of a crowded situation, with a lot of guys who haven¡¯t had many full Major League seasons competing to show why they¡¯re poised to be the best option. With that said, this mix is subject to change depending on what unfolds this spring, and as manager Derek Shelton put it, ¡°Going in, it¡¯s going to be a competition.¡±

? Predicting the Pirates' 2021 Opening Day roster

For now, here are the likely options on the depth chart.

Starters: Erik González, Kevin Newman

The Pirates gave Gonz¨¢lez the most playing time at shortstop last season, then extended him a one-year deal in the offseason. Although he had a career-worst OPS (.614) in the shortened season, so did all three of Pittsburgh¡¯s top options at shortstop. However, Gonz¨¢lez was in the top 25 percent in the league in hard-hit rate (44.8 percent) while posting a career-low .292 batting average on balls in play.

Newman has had the best individual season of any shortstop contender, posting an .800 OPS in 2019 -- even while recording a below-average 24.8 percent hard-hit rate. But his numbers cooled off drastically in the short ¡®20 season, including a .247 weighted on-base average that was in the bottom 2 percent of the league. Newman also provides a backup option at second base behind Adam Frazier or, if the Pirates can find a trade partner for Frazier, Newman could become the primary second baseman.

Backup: Cole Tucker

Tucker reported to camp and began his defensive drills as a shortstop, which the Pirates see as his primary position. But with the logjam there last year, he was moved to center field, where he had -2 Outs Above Average in his first pro season as an outfielder. Something has to tick up with the bat for Tucker, who has a career .215 average and .584 OPS in 93 games, for him to get regular reps at shortstop, which is why it wouldn¡¯t be a slight on him to start the season at Triple-A to develop his offense with consistent at-bats. But his versatility could land him a bench spot.

¡°Playing the National League game, versatility is important. ¡­ So he will get work in the outfield, but a majority of his work will be at short,¡± Shelton said of Tucker.

Depth: Wilmer Difo, Phillip Evans

Difo was blocked out of the everyday shortstop role in D.C. by Trea Turner, and he¡¯ll likely serve as depth in Pittsburgh at shortstop, as well as second base and third base. The switch-hitter got only 14 at-bats last season, but he saw more than 100 games in the 2017 and ¡®18 seasons, during which he produced a .667 OPS in 272 games.

Evans is an option at every infield spot, including shortstop, but he last played this position at Triple-A in 2018. He¡¯s a better bet to fill in at the other three spots, but in a pinch, he could be used here.

In the pipeline: Oneil Cruz, Liover Peguero

At 6-foot-7, Cruz could join a growing list of tall shortstops who are excelling in the Majors, a list that includes Carlos Correa and Fernando Tatis Jr. But there are questions about his fit at shortstop, with some seeing his 70-grade arm as a huge asset in the outfield. General manager Ben Cherington said that the club sees Cruz primarily as a shortstop but he will get looks at other positions since the Pirates place a high value on versatility. It¡¯s unlikely he will break with the big league club, but a good start at Triple-A could catapult him to the Majors quickly.

Peguero was the first Pirate outside of the Top 100 prospects as ranked by MLB Pipeline. He has yet to play a pro game in the Pirates organization since being acquired in the Starling Marte trade in January 2020, but he hit .326 in 60 games across Rookie and Class A Short Season in 2019. He also has great speed and an above-average arm to complement his hitting, but it will likely be another year before he makes a push for playing time in the Majors.