The Chicago White Sox are currently carrying three guys for one position next season, although offseason roster activity could reduce that number.

With the Gordon Beckham era now complete, the White Sox are in line to have Marcus Semien, Carlos Sanchez and Micah Johnson battle for the Opening Day job at second base.

But depth at a position also provides a team with trade options to make other areas stronger. Semien, Sanchez or Johnson might not be enough alone to land an impact player in a trade, but they might be able to attract a bullpen piece. Or, they could be packaged with somebody else in order to make a different deal work.

Johnson figures to be the favorite for the starting job next year, and he might have been up with the White Sox in September but he was shut down with hamstring issues. The speedy Johnson stole just 22 bases in 103 total minor-league games this past season, but he did have 84 steals in the minor leagues in 2013.

Without Johnson in September, the White Sox got a close-up look at Sanchez and saw reasons for optimism. Sanchez worked well with double-play partner Alexei Ramirez, proved to be an adept fielder and, while he struggled offensively over the last two weeks, batted .308 with a .325 on-base percentage for an 11-game stretch from Aug. 29-Sept. 10.

Semien showed plenty of promise during his two stints with the White Sox, especially with a knack for clutch hitting that ran contrary to his lack of major-league experience. On defense, he was fine at second base, but his play was worrisome at third, giving pause to the idea that he could be a utility man moving forward.

Leg issues and a reduction in steals could end up watering down Johnson’s trade value this winter. But Sanchez no doubt raised his stock by looking comfortable in his 28-game big-league stint this year.

The chances that all three of these players will make it through spring training as a member of the White Sox organization seem slim.

And even if the organization views Johnson as their top second base prospect, it isn’t out of the question he could be moved if it benefited another area of the roster considerably.

The major benefit in all of this is that the White Sox figure to at least have a couple of young second base options moving into next season, and whatever they do end up with, it will be affordable.