The Pirates are planning to add three prospects -- third baseman Neil Walker, outfielder Jose Tabata and, in all likelihood, reliever Evan Meek -- to the 40-man roster this winter to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.

Others could be added, too, but that is far from firm.

The rest of the organization's top prospects do not require being protected, including outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who will keep his exempt status until after the 2009 season. That would change, of course, if McCutchen were to be promoted to Pittsburgh in the interim, as most expect will be the case. Once a player is added to the 40-man, he must be protected going forward.

Last offseason, a quarter of the Pirates' 40-man roster was overturned, mostly through a slew of releases. Such a purge is not expected this winter.

Walker and McCutchen participated in batting practice and the hitters' meeting, part of general manager Neal Huntington's plan to get a few top prospects acclimated to the major league atmosphere in advance of the real thing. They will stay today and tomorrow, too.

Walker, who acknowledged "disappointment" at not having been a regular September callup, also expressed appreciation at the gesture.

"It's nice to be part of this, to get that taste," he said. "I can tell you I feel like I'm right in place."

Walker, 22, batted .242 for Class AAA Indianapolis with a team-best 16 home runs and 80 RBIs, and he was rated the International League's best defensive third baseman in a Baseball America survey.

The average was low, and he walked only 29 times for a .280 on-base percentage, but a 21-for-67 surge allowed for a rare strong finish.

"That's one of the things I definitely addressed, as opposed to the last couple seasons where I started out strong and faded," Walker said. "I made a lot of strides this year as a player."

And how does he feel about the Pirates adding Andy LaRoche and, possibly, Pedro Alvarez to the third base mix?

"Not something I think about."

McCutchen, 21, batted .283 and, most important, regained the fine strike-zone command -- 87 strikeouts, 68 walks, .383 on-base percentage -- he had displayed early in his career.

"I felt like I met all my goals, everything I needed to work on," McCutchen said. "I was pleased with it. Not satisfied, but pleased for my first full year at that level. I felt like I got my eye back."

Still, he will need more power -- nine home runs, 26 doubles, 50 RBIs -- to achieve elite status.

"I'm not worried about that. I'm not a power hitter."

• Shortstop Jack Wilson still has not been cleared to swing a bat. He hopes to participate in the home finale Sunday.

• Luis Cruz, batting .313 since his promotion, made his sixth consecutive start and appears to be pushing Brian Bixler out of the picture. "He's not really blown away by anything," manager John Russell said of Cruz. "We've talked about this a lot, and he looks very comfortable."

• Jimmy Barthmaier "tentatively" is set to pitch Saturday, Russell said.