Pirates catcher Eric Fryer, left, sits on the bench with pitching coach Ray Searage, Fryer became the seventhcatcher used by the Pirates this season.

PITTSBURGH — Surprisingly enough, the Pirates are hovering around .500.

Amazingly enough, they’re doing so with some key preseason components on the shelf.

Despite starting pitcher Ross Ohlendorf, third baseman Pedro Alvarez, catchers Chris Snyder and Ryan Doumit, bullpen set-up guys Evan Meek and Joe Beimel all being on the disabled list, the Pirates have clinched a winning record for the month of June.

“It’s been rewarding to see,” general manager Neal Huntington said. “It shows the depth that’s been developed in this organization.”

Ten players on the current roster did not break camp with the big club at the end of spring training. Two players — outfielder Ian Paul and infielder Brandon Wood — were waiver claims.

The season’s official midway point is Friday and the Pirates have already started seven different catchers and five different third basemen.

“We’ve been in situations this year where it’s been tempting to make a quick deal,” Huntington admitted. “But small to mid-market clubs like us ... It’s better to try to fill these voids from within.

“Trades to plug up gaps caused by injury usually wind up being bad trades. You give up way too much for way too little.”

Many of the players the Pirates have recalled from the minor leagues aren’t particularly green youngsters.

Infielders Josh Harrison and Pedro Ciriaco are 25. Fellow infielder Chase d’Arnault is 24.

Catcher Dusty Brown is 28, left-handed reliever Tony Watson is 26 and catcher Eric Fryer is 25.

“A number of these guys have been in pro ball for a while now,” Huntington said. “Sometimes you call a guy up to see whether he’ll sink or swim.”

The latest call-up is outfielder Alex Presley, who joined the Pirates for their mid-week series in Toronto. He is 25 and was third in the International League with a .336 battting average at the time of his promotion.

Presley was briefly with the Pirates last September and figures to see action in all three games against the Blue Jays. He shared the club lead at Class AAA Indianapolis with eight homers.

“Alex has earned the opportunity to see what he can do up here,” Huntington said. “He forced his way up here and he’ll get a long look.”

d’Arnault was inserted at third base “because that’s where he feels the most comfortable at this level, Huntington said. The general manager also reported that catchers Doumit and Jason Jaramillo are making progress toward returning.

“I feel better about our catching than I did three weeks ago,” he admitted.

Ohlendorf’s return is not imminent. He is being brought along slowly and will need to build his pitch count through sideline sessions.

“We’re going to take our time with Ross. We’re in no rush there,” Huntington said. “The way our starting pitching has performed, we don’t have to rush anybody.”