The New York Yankees acquired utility infielder Jon Berti from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday in a three-team deal that also included the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Yankees parted ways with catcher Ben Rortvedt and minor league outfielder John Cruz, with Rortvedt going to the Rays and Cruz going to the Marlins. The Marlins received outfielder Shane Sasaki from the Rays.
Rortvedt is set to back up Rays starting catcher 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 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.
