On Wednesday, the Miami Marlins traded utility infielder Jon Berti to the New York Yankees in a three-team trade that also featured the Tampa Bay Rays. Ben Rortvedt, catcher, and John Cruz, minor league outfielder, were traded by the Yankees; Cruz joined the Marlins, while Rortvedt joined the Rays. Outfielder Shane Sasaki was traded by the Rays to the Marlins. Rene Pinto, the Rays starting catcher, will have Rortvedt as his backup. On Opening Day, Berti, 34, was supposed to be the Marlins’ shortstop. Due to an injury that will likely keep DJ LeMahieu out of the lineup for the most of the season, the Yankees need a third baseman.
Over his six-year career, Berti has appeared in over 100 games at both shortstop and second base. He has played the majority of his games at third base. Berti is a career.258 hitter and hit.294 with a career-high 424 plate appearances with the Marlins last season. With 41 stolen bases in 2022, he led the majors. Berti is under team control through the 2025 season via arbitration and will make $3.6 million this season. According to MLB Pipeline, Cruz, 18, is the Yankees’ organization’s 27th-ranked prospect. In 48 games, he hit.294 in the Florida Complex rookie league in 2023, with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs.
Sasaki, 23, hit .299 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs in 68 games in 2023 across rookie league and High-A ball. Rortvedt, 26, batted .146 in 71 major league games across two seasons (2021, 2023) with the Yankees. In a separate deal, the Marlins also acquired right-hander Burch Smith from the Rays earlier Wednesday.
