The New York Yankees are in agreement on a deal to acquire utility infielder Jon Berti from the Miami Marlins, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
The Yankees are sending outfield prospect John Cruz to the Marlins, the New York Post reported. MLB.com is reporting that the Tampa Bay Rays are also involved in the trade and are sending outfield prospect Shane Sasaki to the Marlins.
In return, the Yankees are sending catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Rays, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He’ll back up starter Rene Pinto.
Berti, 34, was set to be the Marlins’ Opening Day shortstop. The Yankees are in need of a third baseman due to an injury to DJ LeMahieu, who’s expected to start the season on the injured list.
Berti has played his most games at third but has appeared in more than 100 games at both shortstop and second base across his six-year career.
Berti hit .294 with a career-high 424 plate appearances last season for the Marlins and is a career .258 hitter. He led the majors in stolen bases in 2022 with 41.
Berti will earn $3.6 million this season and is under team control through the 2025 season via arbitration.
Cruz, 18, is the 27th rated prospect in the Yankees’ organization, according to MLB Pipeline. He hit .294 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 48 games in the Florida Complex rookie league in 2023.
Sasaki, 23, hit .299 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs in 68 games in 2023 across rookie league and A+ ball.
Rortvedt, 26, batted .146 in 71 major league games across two seasons (2021, 2023) with the Yanks.
In a separate deal, the Marlins also acquired right-hander Burch Smith from the Rays earlier Wednesday.