BRADENTON, Fla. - Left-hander Zach Duke isn't the only player in the Pittsburgh Pirates' camp looking to jump directly from Double-A to the majors. Outfielder Chris Duffy isn't giving up hope he could do it, too.

It's not the Pirates' biggest surprise of the spring but it is an unexpected development, considering Rob Mackowiak figures to be the top spare outfielder if he doesn't start and former AL rookie of the year Ben Grieve remains in camp.

Duffy, a former Arizona State player and an eighth-round pick in the 2001 June draft, has all but forced the Pirates to take an extra look at him by hitting .370 (10-for-27) with one homer and seven RBIs and playing excellent defense.

"If he's still here, he's still got a chance," manager Lloyd McClendon said.

Duffy made it through the latest round of roster cuts Sunday - the Pirates optioned or reassigned 11 players - and is now one of 35 players still around, 10 over the opening day limit.

"If I make it or I don't, I think I've made a good impression," said Duffy, who hit .304 and stole 30 bases as Double-A Altoona's team MVP last season. "I don't know what's going to happen, but stranger things have happened."

Some players appear in awe of their surroundings during their first major league camp, but general manager Dave Littlefield said, "He's put himself in a good position with the way he's performed. He's opened some eyes."

That's exactly what Duffy, 24, wanted to do.

"The older guys have made it comfortable for me, and they've put no pressure on me and that's helped me relax," said Duffy, who was chosen by opposing managers as the Eastern League's top defensive outfielder.

For several years, most top Pirates prospects have been pitchers - but Duffy, catcher Ryan Doumit and infielder Freddy Sanchez are the first of a growing group of position players to bid for jobs. Doumit is hitting .429 with four homers and 10 RBIs but, with Benito Santiago and Humberto Cota ahead of him, is likely headed to Indianapolis.

Sanchez, a former Red Sox top prospect, figures to stay as the Pirates spare infielder. Duke, the Pirates' minor league pitcher of the year last season, is the frontrunner to be the No. 5 starter. Duke pitched five shutout innings Friday against the Phillies and is expected to pitch again Thursday or Friday.

The only question with Duke is whether management will rush him to the majors with so little pro experience - all but nine of his minor league appearances are in Single-A. Last year, former first-round draft picks Sean Burnett and John Van Benschoten each blew out their arms not long after joining the Pirates and will miss all or most of this season - a major setback to the franchise's rebuilding effort.

What the Pirates must decide during their final two weeks in Florida is whether Duke can upgrade their rotation the way Burnett did last season.

Burnett won five consecutive starts before needing reconstructive elbow surgery, a run that helped the Pirates win 21 of 27 games. But they went from being two games under .500 when Burnett and right-hander Kip Wells were hurt to 17 games under by season's end.

"When those two went down, we saw that it could be challenging," Littlefield said.

Meanwhile, right-handers Bobby Bradley and Ian Snell and infielder Jose Bautista were optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday. Reassigned to the minor league camp were infielders Jose Leon, Jorge Velandia, Howie Clark and Cesar Crespo, outfielder Jon Nunnally, catcher Paul Chiaffredo, right-handers Justin Reid and Brian Mallette and left-hander

Jeremy Harts. Notes: Outfielder Jason Bay (wrist) still isn't ready to hit off a tee nearly two weeks after being injured, but McClendon doesn't seem worried: "It's an injury that requires a little time." ... Wells opposes the Blue Jays on Monday, Mark Redman faces the Tigers on Tuesday and Josh Fogg starts Wednesday against the Indians. All three last pitched in minor league games.