BRADENTON, Fla. -- Cole Tucker has hit 17 home runs in his professional career, so he said, with a smile, that he can recall them all pretty well. He’ll remember the two he hit on Thursday afternoon for quite some time, too.

Tucker, the Pirates’ promising young shortstop prospect, went deep twice as he finished the Bucs’ 5-4 win over the Orioles at LECOM Park with a walk-off homer. His first homer cleared the boardwalk beyond the right-field wall, and he launched his second solo shot out to right-center field.

“I know it’s Spring Training,” Tucker said, “but it still means a lot to me.”

The Pirates believe there is more power in Tucker’s 6-foot-3, 205-pound body, and he expects to hit for more power as he continues to mature and learn how to best use his lanky frame. Tucker may also benefit from the Pittsburgh’s new hitting philosophy under coaches Rick Eckstein and Jacob Cruz.

“It doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and hit two home runs every game or we’re all going to turn into Barry Bonds,” Tucker said. “It means we’re up there trying to do damage with every swing that we take, trying to get your ‘A’ swing off. That’s the mentality that I have, and that’s the mentality that we’re going to have going forward.”

A handful of the Pirates’ top prospects are thriving this spring. Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes also enjoyed a two-homer, walk-off performance on Feb. 24. First baseman Will Craig is batting .389 in his first big league camp, and outfielder Jason Martin is 6-for-18 with two homers.

Add Tucker to the list. The switch-hitting shortstop had three assists in the seventh inning, and he’s hit safely in each of his last five games.

“It’s so much fun to watch all our young players develop,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s not just Cole. Other guys have come up and done things. Hayes did it just two weeks ago. It’s just so much fun for so many people.”

It’s hard to imagine anyone having more fun than Tucker, an ebullient 22-year-old known for being a friendly fan favorite wherever he plays. On Wednesday, he chatted with members of Penn State’s baseball team during their visit to JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. During his strong showing in the Arizona Fall League last year, he signed autographs until the stands emptied out.

But there is more at stake for Tucker in his second trip through big league Spring Training. He is ticketed for Triple-A Indianapolis to start the season. He has a spot on the Pirates’ 40-man roster and a single-digit jersey, No. 3. He may not be far from Pittsburgh.

“Now, there’s definitely more of a sense of belonging. There’s the hope and belief in myself that I can get up and make an impact on this team and do that this year,” Tucker said. “That’s exciting. I’m definitely optimistic about that. It’s very exciting to have this opportunity and come here and learn from these guys every day.”

Around the horn

• Francisco Cervelli got behind the plate for the first time this spring, catching right-hander Jordan Lyles for four innings. The Pirates have been easing the 33-year-old catcher into action, using him at first base and DH, and they intend to have him start behind the plate again on Sunday.

Lyles, competing for the fifth spot in Pittsburgh’s rotation, allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out three. He credited Cervelli for encouraging him to throw arm-side cutters and praised the veteran backstop’s body of work behind the plate.

“That was a pleasure. Been watching him from the other side for a handful of years,” Lyles said. “Always said I wanted to throw to him and got that chance today. That was a positive. It was fun working with him.”

• Center fielder Starling Marte -- playing in a Grapefruit League game for the second time this spring -- went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall got back in the lineup after exiting Saturday’s game due to general lower extremity tightness.

• Shortstop Erik Gonzalez -- competing with Kevin Newman for the starting job -- launched his first home run of the spring to center field, one of the Pirates’ five solo shots. Gonzalez committed a costly error earlier in the game, an uncharacteristic event considering his slick-fielding reputation, but he was pleased to see his early morning work in the batting cages pay off at the plate.

“I tried to get in a good position to hit the ball hard,” Gonzalez said. “And that happens when you do that.”

• Opening Day starter Jameson Taillon threw 69 pitches over four innings in a simulated game at Pirate City on Thursday. His next appearance will likely come in a Grapefruit League game.

Up next

The Pirates will split up for two games against the Blue Jays on Friday afternoon. At home at LECOM Park, right-hander Trevor Williams will make his spring debut against Toronto’s Sean Reid-Foley. Top prospect Mitch Keller, Aaron Slegers and Dovydas Neverauskas are also scheduled to pitch. The game will air on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh at 1:05 p.m. ET.

On the road in Dunedin, fifth-starter candidate Rookie Davis will make the start against Marcus Stroman. Right-handers JT Brubaker, Michael Feliz, Luis Escobar and Eduardo Vera are also slated to take the mound. First pitch is set for 1:07 p.m.