Jonathon David Berti (born January 22, 1990) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

utility player In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, basketball, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water ...

for the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...

, and

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

. Berti played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a Public university, public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized progr ...

. He was selected by the Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2011 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2018. He led MLB in

stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out ...

s in 2022.

Amateur career

Berti attended Troy High School in

Troy, Michigan Troy is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A northern suburb of Metro Detroit, Detroit, Troy is located about north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 87,294, ...

, where he played for the school's baseball team. The

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

selected Berti in the 36th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign. Berti enrolled at

, where he played

for the Bowling Green Falcons baseball team. Berti set Falcons' single-season records with a .423

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

, 93

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...

, and tied the single-season record with six

triples TripleS (; ; stylized as tripleS) is a South Korean 24-member multinational girl group formed by Modhaus. They aim to be the world's first decentralized idol group, where the members will rotate between the full group, sub-units, and solo activi ...

. His 17 career triples were also a record. In 2010, he played

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

with the

Brewster Whitecaps The Brewster Whitecaps are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Brewster, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Whitecaps play their home games at Stony Bro ...

of the

Cape Cod Baseball League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over 1,000 forme ...

Professional career

Toronto Blue Jays

Minor leagues

The

selected Berti in the 18th round, with the 559th overall selection, of the

2011 Major League Baseball draft The 2011 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2011, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Gerrit Cole out of the University of California, Los Angeles, with the firs ...

. With the

Vancouver Canadians The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bail ...

of the

Low-A Single-A, formerly known as Class A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for ...

Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseba ...

, he had 23

s, and hit .291 with 21 RBI. In 2012, he played for the

Lansing Lugnuts The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Athletics (baseball), Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field (Lansing), Jackson Fie ...

of the Single–A

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

and the

Dunedin Blue Jays The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...

of the

High-A High-A, officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing, is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A and D ...

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...

(FSL). In 110 combined games, Berti hit .241 with 2 home runs, 40 RBI, and 34 stolen bases. In 2013, Berti played for Dunedin and stole 56 bases, the most in the FSL. That offseason, Berti played for the

Canberra Cavalry The Canberra Cavalry (nicknamed Cavs) were a professional baseball team from Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia. Established in 2010, the team was a founding member of the Australian Baseball League (ABL). The Cavs home ground was Narrabundah B ...

of the

Australian Baseball League The Australian Baseball League (ABL) is a professional baseball league in Australia. The league is governed by the Australian Baseball Federation (ABF). It uses the same name as a now-defunct competition held during the 1990s, and though it s ...

(ABL) in the 2013–14 ABL season. He stole 31 bases in 46 games, setting an ABL record, and hit .309 with 18 RBI. He stole another four bases in the

2013 Asia Series The 2013 Asia Series was the seventh and final edition of the Asia Series, the premier Asian club baseball tournament, and the ninth time national champions from Asian leagues have competed against each other. The tournament was held in Taichung ...

. In 2014, Berti played for the

New Hampshire Fisher Cats The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League, is the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Ja ...

of the Double-A Eastern League. He stole 38 bases, was named an Eastern League All Star, and was assigned to the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...

after the regular season. He also set career-highs in games played (136), home runs (7), and RBI (50). In the offseason, Berti played 20 games with the

Mesa Solar Sox The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona, at Sloan Park, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs. The team was establi ...

of the

, and batted .292 with three home runs, eight RBIs, and six stolen bases. He would split time in 2015 with New Hampshire and the Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

. In 103 total games, he hit .249 with three home runs, 34 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases. The Blue Jays invited Berti to

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

in 2016, and reassigned to minor league camp on March 10. He started the season with New Hampshire, and was assigned to Buffalo on April 27. Berti played in 86 total games in 2016, and hit .256 with four home runs, 33 RBI, and 36 stolen bases. He spent 2017 with Buffalo and Dunedin, hitting .204 with three home runs, 20 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 65 games. Berti elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2017. On January 12, 2018, he re–signed with Toronto on a minor league contract.

Cleveland Indians

On April 21, 2018, Berti was traded to the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

organization in exchange for cash considerations. He appeared in 25 games for the Triple-A

Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy Merchant ship, merch ...

, hitting .217/.333/.233 with 3 home runs and 8 RBI.

Toronto Blue Jays (second stint)

On June 8, 2018, Berti was traded back to the

organization.

Major leagues

The Blue Jays promoted Berti to the major leagues for the first time on September 26, 2018, and inserted him in their starting lineup that day at second base. He was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

on October 5, and outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo on October 9. Berti elected free agency following the season on November 2.

Miami Marlins

On December 3, 2018, Berti signed a minor league contract with the

, and was invited to spring training. He opened the 2019 season with the

New Orleans Baby Cakes The New Orleans Baby Cakes (formerly the New Orleans Zephyrs) were a Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They were located in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, ...

. On April 20, 2019, the Marlins promoted Berti to their major league roster. In 2019, Berti hit .273 with 6 home runs, and led the Marlins with 17 stolen bases in 73 games. He also demonstrated his defensive versatility as a rookie with 20 games played as a third baseman, 21 games as a center fielder and 32 games as a shortstop. Berti became the first player in Marlins history with 20-plus games at each of those positions in the same season. Berti stole second base, third base and home in the sixth inning of a Marlins' game against the New York Mets in August 2020, becoming the first Miami player to steal three bases in an inning. On the season, Berti slashed .258/.388/.350 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 120 at-bats. In 2021 with Miami he batted .210/.311/.313 with four home runs and 19 RBIs in 271 plate appearances. On March 22, 2022, Berti signed a $1.2 million contract with the Marlins, avoiding salary arbitration. For the 2022 season, Berti led the major leagues in stolen bases with 41 (while being caught five times). He batted .240/.324/.338 in 358 at bats with 47 runs, four home runs, and 28 RBI. He had the fastest sprint speed of all major league second basemen, at 29.6 feet/second. Berti was the only player to reach the 40–stolen base plateau in 2022, doing so in 102 games; no player in MLB history had led the majors in stolen bases in a full season with fewer games played. Before the 2023 season, the Marlins signed Berti to a one-year contract worth $2.125 million with a team option for the 2024 season. He batted .258 with seven home runs, 33 RBI and 16 stolen bases while being caught six times."Jon Berti,"
Baseball Reference. After the season, the Marlins exercised a $3.625 million for the 2024 season.

New York Yankees

On March 27, 2024, the Marlins traded Berti to the

in a three-team trade in which the Marlins received John Cruz from the Yankees and Shane Sasaki from the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

, and the Rays received

Ben Rortvedt Benjamin Thomas Rortvedt (born September 25, 1997) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees. He made his ...

from the Yankees. After hitting .273 in 17 games, Berti suffered a strained left calf and was placed on the injured list in May 25. He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on June 12. Berti was activated on September 9. In 25 total games for the Yankees, he slashed .273/.342/.318 with one home run, six RBI, and five stolen bases. In the second game of the 2024 American League Division Series against the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...

, Berti started at first base for the first time in his career. It was just the fifth time that a player made his first career start at a fielding position (excluding pitcher and designated hitter) in postseason play. On November 22, the Yankees non–tendered Berti, making him a free agent.

Chicago Cubs

On January 28, 2025, Berti signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the

. On July 4, 2025, Berti pitched the ninth inning of a game in the Cubs were winning 11-1 over leading their rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. Berti allowed two runs, giving up three walks and two hits.

Personal life

Berti's father, Thomas, played in minor league baseball with the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

organization. He is of

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

descent, his grandparents were from

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Berti, Jon 1990 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Australia American expatriate baseball players in Canada American people of Italian descent People of Sicilian descent Baseball players from Oakland County, Michigan Bowling Green Falcons baseball players Brewster Whitecaps players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Canberra Cavalry players Chicago Cubs players Columbus Clippers players Dunedin Blue Jays players Gulf Coast Blue Jays players Jupiter Hammerheads players Lansing Lugnuts players Major League Baseball second basemen Mesa Solar Sox players Miami Marlins players National League stolen base champions New Hampshire Fisher Cats players New Orleans Baby Cakes players New York Yankees players Somerset Patriots players Sportspeople from Troy, Michigan Toronto Blue Jays players Vancouver Canadians players