The Curve will start a season for the first time with both the Pirates’ No. 1 and No. 2 prospects, and there’s naturally built-in excitement over Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker

That’s not the only reason, though, to be excited about this year’s team, thanks once again to the Pirates’ commitment to winning in Double-A

‘‘I really like the group of young players there’’ Pirates farm director Brian Graham said ‘‘and if you mix that group with the veteran players we have, it looks to be a very good group of players’’

Graham’s talent evaluation and the Pirates’ willingness to sign proven veterans for the Double-A level will be evident once again this season as the Curve try to reach the playoffs for a fifth straight year

The middle of Altoona’s batting order figures to feature slugging first baseman Randy Ruiz, productive minor league veteran John Castellano and last year’s team MVP, Brett Roneberg
All three still have a shot to make the Bucs’ Triple-A team, but if they end up in Altoona, they will bring extensive Eastern League experience and success
Throw in the highly touted McCutchen and Walker, and that will give manager Tim Leiper five legitimate weapons in the lineup

Speedy leadoff man Nyjer Morgan should be another strength, and an additional veteran, Alex Fernandez, has been a steady hitter throughout his career

McCutchen and Morgan will play every day and split time in center field
‘‘Depending on how quickly either one of them were to get a chance in Triple-A or the big leagues, they need to play the corner outfield spots as well as center’’ Graham said
‘‘We’re hoping Chris Duffy is the center fielder in the big leagues for a while’’

Dave Parrish will handle the catching duties after putting together a solid campaign for Altoona last season

The Curve should have an interesting pairing with two brothers-in-law on the team
Veteran infielder Don Kelly, who spent parts of the past two seasons with Erie, is married to Walker’s sister
Kelly, who has a chance to make the Triple-A team, is another proven veteran signed by Graham who could be the everyday shortstop

Javier Guzman returns to the Curve for a third season but will play a different role this year
Graham called Guzman a ‘‘super utility’’ guy who will play second base, shortstop and even some outfield, filling the same kind of role as former Curve players Rob Mackowiak and Yurendell DeCaster

Brandon Chaves, an unsung hero who played all over the field for the Curve a year ago, and Taber Lee are expected to return

Last year’s backup catcher, Milver Reyes, also should be back in the same capacity

The pitching staff appears solid, though not as strong as the offense

The most interesting player on the squad could be right-hander Yoslan Herrera, a Cuban defector who hasn’t pitched competitively in two years
The 25-year-old has such an upside that the Bucs put him on the 40-man roster, and he’ll use this season trying to prove himself in a different environment
Herrera pitched professionally in Cuba, where teams play only three games a week
‘‘That’s one of our biggest concerns - he’s never been in a five-man rotation’’ Graham said
‘‘It’s certainly a different approach for him’’

Two starters could vie for the spot of staff ace
Right-hander Wardell Starling looked sharp the second half of last year, while lefty Josh Shortslef will try to regain the form that helped him become the only Curve pitcher to start a season 5-0

Eastern League veteran Kip Bouknight and newcomer Luis Munoz have a chance to round out the rotation

The bullpen will feature a pair of young, promising pitchers, both of whom were placed on the 40-man roster during the offseason
Right-hander Romulo Sanchez and lefty Dave Davidson saw action out of the Curve pen a year ago after getting called up to Double-A

One pitcher who badly needs a good season is right-hander Matt Peterson, who has struggled the past two years with the Curve
‘‘This is a big guy who has a good arm and obviously was a tremendous prospect at one point’’ Graham said
‘‘He just has to perform well
At some point you go from being a prospect to a guy who needs to perform
He’s at that point’’

The only proven closer in the bullpen is right-hander Chris Hernandez, who saved fourty games between the 2004 and 2005 seasons but had only two last year with the Curve

Veteran Jason Roach could be back in Altoona for a third season, and Jonathan Albaladejo will return for a second

A couple of newcomers who could make the jump from Single-A Lynchburg are right-handers Steven Duguay and Yoann Torrealba