TAMPA — In Francisco Cervelli, Austin Romine, J.R. Murphy and Gary Sanchez, the Yankees have depth at a position a lot of organizations are naked at.
With Brian McCann in the first season of a five-year deal worth $85 million, Cervelli, Romine and Murphy are competing for the backup job. Sanchez, 21, could start the season at Double-A Trenton.
With major question marks at second (Brian Roberts) and third (Kelly Johnson), Yankees scouts are putting a heavy spring training emphasis at looking for infielders as well as relievers.
The Yankees could deal Cervelli, who is out of options, or Romine, or Murphy. The Yankees, who gave the 21-year-old Sanchez $3 million to sign as a 16-year old, view him as a future everyday major league catcher.
The White Sox were one of several teams to send a scout to Tuesday’s 8-3 Yankees victory over Florida State at George M. Steinbrenner Field, and an industry source said the White Sox are looking for catching.
In addition to the White Sox, the Giants, Tigers, Astros and Twins also had scouts in attendance. Cervelli, Sanchez and Murphy all played in the game.
Second baseman Gordon Beckham, 27, could be made available by the White Sox, but would likely command more than Cervelli or one of the other catchers. The Yankees were somewhat interested at last season’s trade deadline in utility infielder Jeff Keppinger, who turns 33 in April, but had questions about his mobility.
“There has been no dialogue,’’ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said about talking to the White Sox. “I wouldn’t comment on interest.’’
Beckham was a first-round pick in the 2008 draft out of the University of Georgia. He is a lifetime .249 hitter who batted .267 a year ago. He played third in his first year (2009) and moved to second for the 2010 season. Beckham will make $4.8 million this season and will be eligible for free agency in 2016.
Keppinger’s best days may be behind him, but he can play first, second and third, and some believe he would be an upgrade at third over Johnson, who has played 14 career games at the position. Keppinger, a career .282 hitter, will make $4 million this year and $4.5 million next season.
The Yankees also will monitor what the Brewers do with Rickie Weeks, who could be beaten out at second base by Scooter Gennett.
Weeks, a notorious streak hitter, is coming off a brutal year in which he batted .209 in 104 games. An $11 million salary for this year and a vesting option worth $11.5 million for 2015 likely will scare teams. He will be 28 next month.
The Yankees’ plan going into the exhibition season is for the left-handed hitting Johnson to play third against right-handers, with Eduardo Nunez possibly facing lefties. They signed the switch-hitting Brian Roberts for second, but considering he is 36 and has played just 192 games in the past four seasons due to injuries, the Yankees likely are paying attention to what transpires with other clubs.
“It’s kind of more of a mental thing. You get reminded and then apply it,’’ Johnson said about getting used to third base, where he started Tuesday. He has 14 career games at third — all of them last year when he filled in for Evan Longoria with Tampa Bay. “I did have one of the best teammates that you can possibly ask last year for when I first broke in over there with Longoria. I was all in his ear constantly.’’