Yankees News: New York Designates Catcher Austin Romine For Assignment

The New York Yankees have apparently chosen John Ryan Murphy has starting catcher Brian McCann's backup in 2015 after designation his spring competitor, Austin Romine, for assignment.

Here's Sweeny Murti of WFAN with the report:

John Ryan Murphy will be the backup catcher. Austin Romine has been designated for assignment.

— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) April 4, 2015

A former consensus top-100 prospect, Romine hit just .182 with one double and an awful .441 OPS in 18 games of Grapefruit League action. He came into this spring out of options, so the Yankees couldn’t send him down to Triple-A without exposing him to other teams via waivers.

Murphy was #3 on the cathing depth chart last year, but came into the spring as the favorite to backup McCann after Francisco Cervelli was trade to the Pirates this winter. The 23-year-old posted a .280/.318/,370 slash line in 85 plate appearances with the Yankees in 2014.

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