Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Jose Bautista can play several positions, but will be the regular third baseman for Class AAA Indianapolis this season. Click photo for larger image. Related articles Pirates' season-ticket sales surge MLB stars to visit Pittsburgh in style All-Star Game events scheduled Pirates Notebook: Perez shows better stuff in Pirates' 5-4 loss

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Jose Bautista is ticketed to be the regular third baseman for Class AAA Indianapolis this season.

So why has he this spring played some third base but a lot of second base, left field, center field and right field?

"Because I want to see how versatile a player he is," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said.

Hmmm. OK.

But how about this theory concerning why Bautista has played so many other positions than third base this spring?

Let's suggest that the Pirates have decided that switch-hitting catcher Neil Walker, their No. 1 draft pick in 2004 from Pine-Richland High School, will eventually be moved to third base.

For the record, here's what seems to be the Pirates' official position on, well, Walker's position.

"He's going to be a catcher this year and we're going to continue working him out at third base," player development director Brian Graham said. "If Ryan Doumit, Humberto Cota and Ronny Paulino are catching in the big leagues and doing what we anticipate they can and if Neil Walker could play third base and his bat came faster than his defense did and he was a solid average defensive third baseman, we would definitely consider [moving him to third]. That's not outside the realm of consideration. But right now we want him to be a switch-hitting catcher."

But when Walker, who will open the season with Class A Lynchburg, is promoted to Class AA Altoona by, oh, late May, he probably won't just be working out at third base.

So could the Pirates be preparing Bautista, like Walker a top hitting prospect, to make a position move to make room for Walker at third base?

Nobody's saying, but one thing seems clear -- the Pirates sure are transforming Bautista into a versatile player.

"Does he have a home at third base?" Tracy mused. "He sure does. He has a chance to be a regular player at the major-league level. And there obviously are [positions] you'd like to see much more of him. He's shown me a lot of things that I would not have been aware of had we not waded into the waters we have with him. I'm glad I've done it."

The Pirates began sticking their toes in those waters a couple of years ago.

Bautista, lost in the Rule Five draft in the winter of 2003, had just returned to the Pirates from the New York Mets in the Kris Benson trade. Coach Rusty Kuntz worked with Bautista in center field in a pregame workout in San Diego.

"His routes to the ball, his depth perception, were so good, it was like, 'Wait a minute. Time out. You've played the outfield before,' " Kuntz said. "That's when he said he played it in winter ball."

Tracy followed up on that.

"You hear things from other people," Tracy said. "You hear that Bautista could play center field as well as anybody they had in winter ball [in Licey in the Dominican Republic]. There are some pretty good players over there. That's a fairly bold statement.

"I know he can play third, but I wanted to see him play other places, too."

Hence, Bautista has played some second base this spring, too.

"He's got all the ability to be an outstanding fielder and an outstanding hitter," said Pirates third base coach Jeff Cox, who's also their infield instructor. "He's got an outstanding arm. All the attributes are there.

"He has the ability to throw the ball from so many angles, but you don't need to. The bottom line with him is -- catch the ball, throw the ball, don't get too flashy and just execute the plays that you're capable of executing. Let's just make the plays and prove to these people that you can play around the diamond.

"One of his valuabilities in future years is going to be his versatility, so if there's ever a time to move around the diamond it's during spring training and then go from there."

What does Bautista think of all this moving around this spring?

"I'm still looking at it like they're trying to get me [more] at-bats," he said. "To me, it's good because I have more chances to show them what I have. It can only help me. It shows this team -- and other teams that are watching me -- that I have versatility and that helps me.

"I don't really have a preference as long as I'm playing and I'm in the lineup and I have a chance to help the team win. I feel like I can handle third base and all three outfield positions pretty well.

"Second base? I'm still a work in progress. I don't feel comfortable at second base yet, but I can only get better. It's only a matter of time until I start feeling comfortable there."

There seems little question Bautista is comfortable in the batter's box. Last season with Altoona, he batted .283 with 27 doubles, 23 home runs and 90 RBIs in 445 at-bats.

He had a brief stay with Indianapolis -- batting .255 in 51 at-bats -- then joined the Pirates in September, getting 28 at-bats.

It's likely he'll spend this entire season with Indianapolis.

"I think there's still some growth that will take place in the very near future," Indianapolis manager Trent Jewett said, "but I think he's right on the brink of finalizing his capabilities. Defensively, he has all the skills. There are a few things to clean up, but everything is in place as far as his physical capabilities. He has a lot of baseball aptitude. Overall, he's a very interesting package."

This spring, Bautista has 16 hits in 43 at-bats (.372), including six doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs.

"Is this guy having a terrific spring?" Tracy asked rhetorically. "You'd better believe he is. He should be very, very proud of the spring training he's had."

And of the future he could have.

Said Kuntz: "Being in the National League, being able to play the infield and the outfield, man, that's a gold mine right there."