Cubs reportedly sign utility man Jon Berti

Jay Biggerstaff - USA Today Sports

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Thu Jan 23 09:00:01 GMT-05:00 2025

In a way, Jed Hoyer was right about this team not being done adding pieces, as the Cubs have suddenly started to add pieces more frequently. The problem is that none of these pieces are considered difference makers, with most, if not all, serving as either bench depth or organizational depth in the minors.

That was again the case late Wednesday night when the Cubs and veteran utility man Jon Berti came to terms on an agreement, and the sides reached a one-year, two-million-dollar deal. That's right; this is a Major League signing to help the roster, as Berti will most likely occupy the role that Miles Mastrobuoni held in the past few years.

In a way, Berti and Mastrobunoi are very similar players, as they can play many positions. Both possess solid to good speed on the bases, but Berti has been a much better hitter most of his career, and that alone is something the Cubs are happy to have on their bench. The prime definition of a late bloomer, the now 35-year-old (Happy Birthday, by the way) Berti, didn't reach the majors until his age 28 season and debuted with the Blue Jays in 2018.

His time in Toronto was short-lived, seeing action in four games before landing with the Marlins in 2019. That is when his career started to turn around, as Berti not only had his first real opportunity to play but also emerged as an excellent option for the Marlins. Berti hit .273 across 73 games with the Marlins in 2019 before having a down 2020 due to COVID-19.

Once 2021 arrived, Berti started to show up in a big way and went on to have three excellent seasons. After hitting just .210 in 2021, Berti responded by hitting .240 in 2022 and a career-best .294 in 2023. The 2022 and 2023 seasons stand out the most, as he played 102 games in 2022 and a career-best 133 games in 2023. Those are the only times he has played more than 100 games in his career, with the 2023 season being his best as a pro.

Along with a close to .300 average, Berti connected for a career-high seven homers and drove in a career-best 33. He did that with 16 stolen bases after stealing 41 in 2022. The 41 steals are something the Cubs hope to get more of from him this season, as Berti has the speed to be a threat on the bases as a late-inning substitution.

Berti was an intriguing free-agent option after his time with the Marlins. He was coming off a career year and, realistically, three good years leading into his free agency. Of course, his age had a lot to do with why teams didn't want to sign him, and he wound up signing a one-year deal with the New York Yankees as one of their bench options.

Hoping to make a difference in the Bronx, Berti not only struggled but had one of the worst overall seasons of his career, which raises a red flag heading into this season. His .273 average was very good, but that was only in a 33-game sample size, as Berti played just over a month of games this year.

His one homer and six RBIs were also low, as were the five stolen bases, as Berti had a hard time seeing the field with New York. With him signing the deal to come to the Cubs, Berti finds himself in a familiar utility role but is joining a team that loves utility guys and will have no issue finding time for him on the field.

Berti, a right-handed hitter, has been a solid contributor for most of his career, which is all you can ask for from a bench/utility piece. He not only makes solid contact, but he is also a threat on the bases, and he can play up to seven positions. That includes shortstop, where he played mostly in 2023 and played it at a very good level.

Berti was held to 33 games in 2024 because of a calf injury that forced him to miss most of the season. Given that he is coming off that injury and is 35 years old, you have to wonder if those are the primary concerns bringing him in.

Even if his performance isn't what it once was, Berti still gives Craig Counsell a nice option off the bench and will provide some flexibility at third to help with the rookie Matt Shaw. All in all, it's not a terrible bench piece by any means, but it certainly is not a move to get you excited.