The time has come.

A number of Class AAA prospects are pounding on the Pirates' door, Jose Tabata, Pedro Alvarez and Brad Lincoln among them, looking to step into the major leagues.

But it's another guy who's standing at the front of that line: Neil Walker.

Open the door and let him in. It's time.

The Pine-Richland High School graduate and 2004 first-round draft choice of the Pirates has done everything they've asked of him.

Drafted as a catcher, they moved him to third base. In only his second season at the hot corner, he made the International League's all-defensive team with Class AAA Indianapolis.

Following the selection of slugging prospect Alvarez, a third baseman, Walker was asked to learn a number of positions. He's played second base, third base, outfield — and has made all of one error this season.

On offense, Walker can't do much more at Indianapolis. He was the team's MVP in 2008 when he led the squad in triples, homers and RBI.

He took a modest step back last year, hitting .264 with 14 homers and 69 RBI. As a September call-up, Walker struggled, hitting .194 in 36 at-bats.

So far in 2010, he's tearing up the International League. He's leading the circuit with 17 doubles and 50 hits. Half of his hits have gone for extra bases, including six home runs.

He's also recorded a .325 batting average — sixth best in the league — and 10 stolen bases in 11 attempts.

Walker doesn't turn 25 until Sept. 10. He still is a prospect.

Make that a prospect who is ready for a long look at the big league level as a second baseman.

Current Pirates second baseman Aki Iwamura is hampered by a hamstring problem. He is in the middle of a nightmarish slump that's lasted all of May.

Iwamura is hitting .156 with only 20 hits since the beginning of the season. As the team's leadoff hitter, he's been a bust.

Walker might be a bust, too. But let's find out.

After all, that's what the bulk of this season should be about for the Pirates.

Alvarez will be promoted this year. So will Tabata. So will Lincoln. Some of them will be wearing Pirates uniforms sooner rather than later.

Walker should be wearing one right now.

He became the first Pittsburgh-area player to be selected in the first round of the amateur baseball draft since the Oakland A's chose Tim Conroy in 1978.

Conroy was sent directly to Oakland's big league club as a publicity stunt and washed out.

The Pirates have been patient with Walker.

They wanted to find a role for him — and they did.

They wanted him to demonstrate consistent production — and he has.

They also needed a hole in the lineup that he could fill, coupled with the belief that he could fill it.

Both ends of that equation exist right now.

Let's do it.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.