A former Toronto Blue Jays infielder is calling it a career after eight seasons at the age of 36.
Jon Berti originally broke into the majors as a member of the Blue Jays towards the end of the 2018 season. Berti was originally selected in the 18th round of the 2011 MLB Draft after spending his collegiate baseball career at Bowling Green.
Berti took to Instagram that he was announcing his retirement after a 15-season career as a professional baseball player.
"After a lot of thought and consideration, I have decided to retire from professional baseball," wrote Berti. "It's been a hell of a journey, full of ups and downs. I'm very grateful for all the opportunities and lessons that baseball has given me over the last 15-plus years."
The 36-year-old Berti was a member of the Chicago Cubs during the 2025 season, appearing in 51 games while sporting a .210/.262/.230 split with two RBIs and 11 stolen bases. He was designated for assignment in August of last season before their postseason run and was released after clearing waivers without being picked up.
The 5-foot-10 Berti was known as a utility player, starring as a third baseman, second baseman and shortstop during his career. His best season was probably during the 2022 season when he led the majors with a career-high 41 stolen bases as a member of the Miami Marlins .
Berti came through the Blue Jays minor league system, starring for the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays and making his mark there with his speed. He led the Florida State League with 56 stolen bases during the 2013 season. He eventually moved on up to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats and was named an Eastern League All-Star after stealing 38 bases.
During the 2016 season, Berti split time between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo Bisons where he once again showed off his trademark speed, stealing 36 stolen bases.
He was actually traded to the Cleveland Guardians organization in the early portion of the 2018 season before he was traded back to the Blue Jays. Berti would make his debut for the Jays at the end of the season, appearing in four games while starting at second base.
Over the course of his eight seasons in the majors, Berti appeared in 512 games and knocked in 24 home runs with 128 RBIs and 108 stolen bases. He ends his career with a .256 batting average and .333 on-base percentage.
Berti also spent time with the New York Yankees during the 2024 season, appearing in 25 regular season games while helping lead them to the World Series. He made four appearances during their postseason run during their series wins over Kansas City Royals and Guardians in the American League playoffs.
The veteran infielder made sure to pay tribute to all of the MLB organizations he played for during the course of his career.
"I want to thank the Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians , Miami Marlins , New York Yankees, and Chicago Cubs for giving me a chance to play the game I love professionally," said Berti. "It was an honor to represent such great MLB organizations."
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