The Pirates have a new Core of Four.

A couple of years ago, the heart of the Bucs’ future seemed to rest in the performances of Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata.

Not much has changed in that regard, except for the insertion of Starling Marte in place of Tabata.

Young talent at the major league level can be displaced rather easily.

Only last year at this time, Alex Presley seemed destined to be the Pirates’ leadoff hitter for quite a while and Tabata was considered one of the key bats, hitting right behind him.

Presley began this year in Class AAA and Tabata is no longer a regular starter.

Early promise shown by a young player can quickly fade away at the MLB level. Warren Morris, Adrian Brown and Brad Eldred immediately come to mind.

But the arrival of Marte gives the Pirates that new Core of Four.

Say what you want about pitching being 75 percent of the game and the Bucs’ starting rotation appearing shaky and inconsistent.

Barring a total collapse on the mound, this team will go as the careers of McCutchen, Marte, Alvarez and Walker go. The more those guys produce, the more the Pirates will win.

Entering this weekend’s series with Atlanta, Marte was carrying a 10-game hitting streak and the National League lead in hits with 21. He was 7 for 12 with a walk in the first inning of the Bucs’ first 13 games this season.

McCutchen’s numbers last year speak for themselves and he recently had a game-winning home run against Cincinnati.

Walker was victimized by a number of hard-hit outs to begin the month, but recently collected five base knocks in a two-game stint and hit .391 over a five-game stretch.

Then there’s Alvarez.

He entered the Atlanta series with four hits in 45 at-bats — an .089 average — with 17 strikeouts. That’s no reason to panic.

Alvarez began last season with two hits in his first 30 at-bats before hitting .395 with five homers in his next 12 games.

The man is streaky like that.

Obviously, he has to get more consistent, level out the highs and lows just a bit. If he doesn’t, the Pirates will be in trouble because Alvarez is a long-term power source they can ill afford to do without.

McCutchen, Walker and Alvarez are all first-round draft choices. Marte — somehow, some way — was signed as an undrafted free agent.

The chances of these guys fading away in the next few years are slight.

How far they will advance their careers is the bigger question.

Big league pitching is big-time pitching. Becoming a great hitter in this era of power arms and specialization is a tough thing to do.

But if McCutchen remains a consistent star, Marte becomes a steady five-tool player, Walker one of the best second basemen in the National League and Alvarez a 30- to 40-homer guy, the Pirates will be fine.

If not? Win not.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.