Starting Lineup
1. Gregory Polanco – RF
2. Josh Harrison – 2B
3. Andrew McCutchen – CF
4. Starling Marte – LF
5. Jung Ho Kang – 3B
6. Michael Morse – 1B
7. Francisco Cervelli – C
8. Jordy Mercer – SS
The Pirates will once again have one of the finest players in the game, former MVP Andrew McCutchen, batting in the heart of their lineup. He’ll be joined in the outfield by Starling Marte, who emerged as a star in his own right in 2015, and 24-year-old Gregory Polanco. If Polanco takes some steps forward this year, Pittsburgh could boast one of the league’s best outfields.
It’s unclear whether last year’s surprising rookie Jung Ho Kang will be ready for Opening Day after knee surgery, but Spring Training is the time for optimism so we’ll pencil him into the lineup for now. If he has to start the year on the DL, keep an eye on minor leaguer Alen Hanson to potentially break camp with the big club.
Another position to monitor is first base. As things currently stand, Michael Morse appears most likely to begin the season there, but the performance of someone like John Jaso could determine whether he holds onto the job.