Certainly, there are not a lot of players in MLB who we can say debuted at the age of 28, but for Jon Berti, that stands true. Back in September 2018, Berti was relaxing at his Michigan home after winning the Eastern League championship with Double-A New Hampshire, yet in some corner of the infielder’s mind, a little question popped up that said, ‘What’s next?” The next was a call from the big leagues, a “dream come true.”
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The Toronto Blue Jays needed an infielder replacement to carry them through whatever was left of their season, and of course, they circled Berti for the role. And almost immediately, the Bowling Green University star hopped in his car and went to his parents’ house to deliver the big news. Then, 24 hours later, he flew to Toronto to start ninth. That was almost eight years ago, but eventually, all stories must end, and Jon Berti’s story has come to an end today. After 15+ years in professional baseball, the former Yankees player has hung up his cleats.
“After a lot of thought and consideration, I have decided to retire from professional baseball… I’m very grateful for all the opportunities and lessons that baseball has given me over the last 15+ years… I’m excited for what’s to come. Until next time,” the player wrote on Instagram.
Berti retired at the age of 36, closing an eight-season-long MLB career that saw him play for Toronto, Cleveland, Miami, New York, and Chicago. In his Instagram post, he also thanked Team Italy, his coaches, teammates, staff, fans, and family in his message.
Son of Tom and Betty Berti, Jonathan David Berti was exposed to baseball pretty early in his life. His father played the sport at Detroit Mercy and for two years in Lakeland, Florida, in the Detroit Tigers organization. So, one can only imagine the pride they felt when watching their son make his debut at the Rogers Centre on television. Given that the call-up was so sudden, they couldn’t make it to the game, but that changed when he was in Tampa for his series with the Rays. The club had invited his parents to watch the game, with their flights and hotel sorted.
“We weren’t even sure he was going to be on the roster for the first game, so we decided to just wait a day and go to Tampa,” Tom said. “The Blue Jays were just awesome about it. They paid for the plane, paid for the hotel. I guess it would have been nice to have been in Toronto, but it was awesome to be there for the weekend in St. Petersburg.’’
His path to MLB was never simple, even after Toronto selected him in the 2011 draft. The Blue Jays took Berti in the 18th round after his standout Bowling Green career. He then spent seven seasons in the minor leagues, playing 792 games before earning his first call-up to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.
After only 4 games with four hits in 15 at-bats, Toronto designated him for assignment, and he joined the Marlins on a minor league pact.
“Being able to play a few games for Toronto last year, it kind of helped open some doors for me,” Berti said. “I went up there and played well for the few games I was there.
“Once you make your debut in the big leagues, it definitely makes your resume look a lot better. I was able to get a little experience and went from there.”
Toronto eventually brought him back, but Miami was the place he became a household name. Berti became a useful player because he could defend at multiple positions.
His best season arrived in 2022 for the Marlins, when he stole 41 bases in 102 games. Berti led MLB with 41 stolen bases in 2022 despite appearing in only 102 games- the fewest games ever played by a full-season major-league stolen-base leader. With his cleats in the rack, he had an average of .256 with 24 home runs and 108 stolen bases. And the impact was not lost on Don Mattingly.
“The analytics department were right on him and we have seen it,” Mattingly said. “He makes contact and everything else. He is a guy who is showing that he could hit. The speed is only there when you get on base. Bert showed the ability to get on base. I think he will get better by seeing more pitching.”
Here, some moments became the spotlight of his career, especially the unforgettable night against the Mets.
In 2020, Berti stole second, third, and home during the same inning at Citi Field. He stumbled while stealing home, then famously crawled toward the plate before scoring. That became a lasting image of his fearless running and willingness to take risks.
With New York, his versatility returned during the 2024 postseason against the Royals, where he started at first base without any experience and made several strong plays. Berti joined the Yankees in 2024 after they acquired him from Miami in a three-team deal just before Opening Day. He quickly showcased the defensive flexibility and baserunning skills that had defined his career, contributing to the Yankees’ run to a World Series showdown with the Dodgers.
In 25 games with New York, Berti batted .273 with one home run, six RBI and five stolen bases. However, a left calf injury kept him sidelined for a significant portion of the season before he finished with Chicago in 2025.
For the Cubs, even at 35, Berti appeared to be a reliable option, and he sure started that way. By May 1, he was hitting .306/.370/.347 (15-for-49) across 20 games while stealing seven bases. But it was only a matter of time before his production declined. His playing time also diminished after Matt Shaw returned from Triple-A Iowa. Following June 1, Berti made just four starts, and from May 2 until his release in August, he hit only .118/.151/.118 (6-for-51) with 11 strikeouts. After being released, he went unclaimed.
In the meantime, injury troubles had started piling up for him, too. In 2024 alone, he dealt with calf and groin issues. Then, in 2022, he had hip and groin injuries, along with two undisclosed illnesses. Prior to that, he suffered a concussion, a finger injury, and an oblique injury.
Then came one final opportunity with Team Italy during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Berti hit .375 with 6 hits and 1 home run in 4 games for Italy. And that made him an all-time great for Italy. And now, his legacy will be talked about for stolen bases, struggles, and how one man with speed crawled his way to the finish line.