BRADENTON, Fla. -- This Spring Training has been different for the Pirates. Their workouts were shorter and more efficient. Their pitching practice was more game-like and data-driven. The atmosphere in the clubhouse is noticeably more upbeat, even by Spring Training standards.

Those are the early returns from the Pirates’ offseason management overhaul. New president Travis Williams has put the baseball operations department in the hands of new general manager Ben Cherington, who hired manager Derek Shelton to change the mood around a team that lost 93 games and dealt with all kinds of turmoil in the clubhouse last season.

Predictions and projection systems aren’t high on the Pirates, who brought back most of the roster from last season minus center fielder Starling Marte (traded) and former closer Felipe Vázquez (arrested) while making only modest additions like Jarrod Dyson, Guillermo Heredia, Luke Maile and Derek Holland. Players believe that they can be better than expected in the short term, but Cherington and Co. were brought in to make this team a sustainable contender in the long term.

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Here’s a look at Pittsburgh’s big-picture plans and some of the storylines heading into the 2020 season:

WHAT’S THE GOAL?

Cherington has gone out of his way to avoid calling the Pirates’ situation a “rebuild,” at one point referring to it instead as a “team build.” Pittsburgh didn’t execute the full-on fire sale some people expected after the management turnover, dealing only Marte, but the club is still carrying a projected payroll of around only $52 million. If it seems like the Bucs are caught in between, allow Cherington to explain their thought process.

“We’ve got a group of young players that are either currently on our team or close to being on our team who I truly believe -- and we truly believe -- can and will be part of a winning team in Pittsburgh,” Cherington said last month. “Our focus is to help that group of players continue to get better, then to look for every opportunity to add to that group -- and that’s going to come over time. There may be parts of that that happen this year. There may be parts of that that happen next offseason and the following year.

“But that’s the simplest way to say it is how I feel, and we really believe there is a group of young players here to build around. We know we’ll have to add to that group, but there are players in camp right now who are going to be part of that team.”

HOW DO THEY GET THERE?

First, they need to identify the players they can build around -- and that should give them a better idea of when they can realistically be competitive again. Can they win while Joe Musgrove, Jameson Taillon and Josh Bell are under club control? Is their next core going to be formed around young big leaguers like Bryan Reynolds, Kevin Newman and Mitch Keller? Or is their window sometime in the future, centered around high-upside young prospects like Oneil Cruz, Quinn Priester and Tahnaj Thomas?

To put it mildly, the Pirates didn’t get the most out of their young players in recent years. Tyler Glasnow took off in Tampa Bay. Gerrit Cole became an ace in Houston. Even role players like Jordan Luplow performed better elsewhere. So it falls upon Shelton’s coaching staff -- specifically analytically minded pitching coach Oscar Marin -- to maximize the talent they have.

Once they get a better sense of their building-block players and the depth behind them, the Pirates can pursue potential trades and acquisitions to strengthen that foundation. That makes this year something of an extended trial and evaluation period and an opportunity for players to prove themselves.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

The answer last year turned out to be, “Everything.” The 2019 Pirates were injured all over from start to finish. Their lack of Major League-ready depth was exposed. Their pitching was ghastly. They had little power beyond Bell. They were revealed to be behind the curve, analytically speaking. Fans grew frustrated with their second-half slide and shrinking payroll. Their clubhouse culture fell apart.

The worst-case scenario, obviously, is that all of those things happen again while the prospects they’re betting on take steps back. Keller and Ke’Bryan Hayes look like foundational players, but what happens if Keller gets hit hard again and Hayes’ power never develops? What if Cruz is more potential than production? What if their young arms don’t pan out?

They also need to see bounce-back performances from a handful of veterans who might represent their best trade assets. It’s hard to imagine Chris Archer sticking around, for instance, if he enjoys a strong first half. Gregory Polanco could be in demand, too, if he stays healthy and hits like he did for most of 2018. Closer Keone Kela could be one of the best relievers available at the July 31 Trade Deadline if he stays healthy. The Pirates could accelerate their “team build” by moving those players for impact prospects, but injuries or underwhelming starts might set them back a bit.

WHO MIGHT SURPRISE?

Given the way last year went, the Pirates are loaded with potential breakout and bounce-back candidates. Everyone but Bell, Reynolds and Newman might qualify.

Keller, Musgrove and now-healthy Chad Kuhl certainly stand to benefit from Marin’s approach given their raw stuff. Archer and Trevor Williams should be better if they’re able to stay healthy, as injuries led to their biggest problems last season. Reliever Kyle Crick could bounce back into a setup role if he’s healthy and not tipping his pitches. Flame-throwing reliever Nick Burdi and one-time setup man Edgar Santana just need to stay healthy.

Polanco has hit well when healthy; he just hasn’t been healthy all that often. Jacob Stallings emerged as a strong defender behind the plate last year, which makes him quietly valuable. You can’t help but think shortstop prospect Cole Tucker is going to put it all together at some point, and the slick-fielding Hayes is just a slight uptick in power away from becoming a star third baseman. Keep an eye on outfield prospect Jared Oliva, too; some evaluators wouldn’t be surprised if he is Pittsburgh’s starting center fielder by the end of the year.

IN SUMMARY

Heading into the season, the Pirates look like the clear No. 5 in the highly competitive National League Central. But there is young talent to build around, a more positive vibe in the clubhouse and a more collaborative culture with the front office and coaching staff.

Their success from 2013-15 gave way to four ultimately disappointing seasons, but they have hope for better days ahead. It’s just not yet clear how far ahead those days might be.