In 2023, Jon Berti had an outstanding year and was acquired by the New York Yankees from the Miami Marlins to replace DJ LeMahieu due to injury. The trade involved a three-team agreement that sent outfield prospect John Cruz to the Marlins and catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Tampa Bay Rays. In return, the Yankees received Jon Berti, while the Rays acquired outfield prospect Shane Sasaki.
Berti’s standout season with the Marlins earned him a career-best 103 OPS+, with a batting average of .294, on-base percentage of .344, and slugging percentage of .405. He played five different positions, spending most of his time at shortstop and third base. Berti was considered an above-average fielder at both positions based on stats like outs above average and defensive runs saved.
As a member of the Yankees, Berti is expected to primarily play at third base, replacing LeMahieu’s position. Anthony Volpe will play shortstop, Gleyber Torres will be at second base, and Anthony Rizzo will be at first base. Although Oswaldo Cabrera was initially considered for third base, he will likely serve as a backup. While Berti has experience in the outfield, the Yankees already have a strong lineup with players like Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham.
The Yankees did not give up top prospects for Berti in the trade. John Cruz is an 18-year-old outfield prospect ranked as the 28th best prospect in their system according to MLB Pipeline. Shane Sasaki is not in the top 30 rankings.
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