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DUNEDIN, Fla. — This is the best way to describe the state of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup: It’s a work in progress.

You can thank the lockout and the odd nature of this off-season for that, as the Jays are currently trying to complete their winter roster construction work and get ready for an opening day that arrives in a little more than three weeks at the same time.

Speaking for the first time since the lockout at the club’s player development complex on Tuesday afternoon, Jays general manager Ross Atkins admitted they’re still hunting for an infielder.

“We want to make the team better,” Atkins stated following a press conference introducing starter Yusei Kikuchi. “I think the most obvious way is in our infield and complementing it somehow … whether it be in the form of an everyday position player or not, there’s several different ways we can and that’s a good position to be in.

“I think it’s unlikely that we don’t add another position player.”

At this point, the Jays’ roster picture is still incomplete, but that will change soon.

While replacing Marcus Semien’s production might not happen unless the Jays are able to find a way to lure Freddie Freeman or Kyle Schwarber, which would then create a bit of a domino effect of ensuing moves thanks to the awkward positional fits, it’s no secret Atkins is looking for a left-handed bat to help complement a righty-heavy lineup.

“I think that would be our ideal, but it really depends on the position, on the defence they’re providing, or not,” Atkins said. “There’s several variables there.”

The variables are many for all 30 clubs right now, and every single team in baseball is working through a number of roster possibilities, leaving a whole lot of high-end players still unsigned.

The trade market has also been very active, and the Jays have been fielding calls on their areas of surplus — catching and corner outfielders.

“We’re not looking to move anyone, but we obviously have some good players and some depth in some areas that teams identify and they’re assertive in thinking about ways to improve their team,” Atkins said.

In the second of three State of the Position pieces that tee up the ins and outs of the Jays roster as spring training begins, here’s a closer look at all things lineup as of today.

PROJECTED LINEUP VS. RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS
1—CF George Springer
2—SS Bo Bichette
3—1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
4—RF Teoscar Hernandez
5—LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
6—DH Alejandro Kirk
7—2B Cavan Biggio
8—C Danny Jansen
9—3B Santiago Espinal

BENCH: C Reese McGuire, OF Randal Grichuk, INF/OF Kevin Smith, INF/OF Otto Lopez

PROJECTED LINEUP VS. LEFT-HANDED STARTERS
1—CF George Springer
2—SS Bo Bichette
3—1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
4—DH Teoscar Hernandez
5—LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
6—RF Randal Grichuk
7—2B Santiago Espinal
8—C Alejandro Kirk
9—3B Kevin Smith

BENCH: C Danny Jansen, C Reese McGuire, INF/OF Cavan Biggio, INF/OF Otto Lopez

COMPETING FOR ROSTER SPOTS
INF/OF Kevin Smith
INF/OF Otto Lopez
INF/OF Gosuke Katoh (NRI)
OF Mallex Smith (NRI)
OF Nathan Lukes (NRI)
OF Josh Palacios
C Tyler Heineman (NRI)
1B Greg Bird (NRI)

JOB BATTLE TO WATCH

—Who plays 2B and 3B?—

With Semien now a Texas Ranger and the Cavan Biggio experiment at the hot corner not going well last year, the two roster holes are very clear and have been for some time.

A Biggio and Santiago Espinal platoon could work at one of those spots — second base would be ideal — which would leave Atkins searching for some type of third base impact.

We’ve gone over the names for months at this point, but impact bats Kris Bryant and Trevor Story would both fit cleanly at third and second, respectively, although there’s no indication at this point the Jays are in the mix, even if they have been legitimately connected to the aforementioned big-ticket players.

As of today, the Jays would have Biggio and Espinal playing every day, with Kevin Smith and Otto Lopez on the bench.

They need at least one starter and likely a versatile depth player, as well.

BIGGEST STRENGTH

—Elite top of the order—

Springer, Bichette, Vladdy. Look around baseball and you’d be hard pressed to find a more impressive murderer’s row at the top of a lineup.

Aside from the best rotation they’ve had in a long time, these three guys are the core of the Jays’ World Series hopes and a healthy season from all three is paramount.

There are a lot of what ifs from 2021, but had Springer played more than 78 games, the Jays are probably a playoff team.

The Jays would love to find an impact lefty bat to wedge behind that trio and in front of the dangerous corner outfield duo of Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS

—Right-handed heavy—

Assuming second and third base are addressed in some manner, giving them some much-needed depth, the righty-heavy nature of the lineup is something the front office would love to change.

While it’s not a huge problem through a six-month season, the Jays become much easier to match up with in a postseason scenario without a left-handed hitter breaking up all the potent righties.

Biggio and McGuire are the only two left-handed hitters projected to make the club.

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE

—C Alejandro Kirk—

A left hip flexor strain stole a big chunk of Kirk’s season, as he finished with a quiet .242/.328/.436 slash line with eight homers in just 189 trips to the plate.

Thanks to the injury and sporadic playing time with Jansen and McGuire around, Kirk was never really able to find his stride with the bat.

With Atkins calling it “less than ideal” to continue carrying three catchers for a long period of time on a 26-man roster — it’s expanded to be expanded early in the season with the short camp — Kirk should get ample opportunity to prove the bat is as legit as many people think it is.

Will it be in a Jays uniform? That’s the question.

BOUNCEBACK CANDIDATE

—INF/OF Cavan Biggio—

When you finish third in baseball with 846 runs, not a lot of players are going to have suffered through down years offensively.

As Semien, Bichette, Guerrero, Hernandez and Gurriel were all authoring personal bests, Biggio suffered through an injury-riddled season trying to transition to third base and finished with a putrid 84 wRC+ in 79 games.

At the dish, Biggio’s struggles with high-end velocity up in the zone led to a jump in strikeouts.

It was essentially a lost year for the soon-to-be 27-year-old.

The Jays, however, still believe Biggio can become an important super-utility piece, and are pointing to the health woes so don’t give up just yet.

PROSPECT TO WATCH THIS SPRING

—3B Jordan Groshans and C Gabriel Moreno—

Everything you need to know about Moreno is right here (LINK: https://www.tsn.ca/scott-mitchell-beast-gabriel-moreno-proving-he-s-nearly-big-league-ready-with-afl-showing-1.1723482) and the 22-year-old Venezuelan catcher is expected to push for a big-league call-up in June or July once he gets some Triple-A at-bats.

While Moreno already had a brief taste of Triple-A, Groshans will be getting his first.

Until the depth chart changes in front of him, Groshans is one to watch this spring simply because he’s talented enough to push his way into the picture unexpectedly.

If the Jays go with some sort of short-term stopgap or platoon at third base, a lot of eyes will be on Groshans’ April start in Buffalo.