Cubs add insurance for Matt Shaw, sign utility man Jon Berti

MLB insider Robert Murray reported the Cubs are in agreement with veteran free-agent infielder Jon Berti. Per MLB Network's Mark Feinsand, Berti will make $2 million on a one-year deal. Berti, 35, can play all over the diamond and is a career .259/.337/.366 hitter in 461 games with the Blue Jays, Marlins, and Yankees.

Berti is brought in as depth to a team that is still putting together bench options. While he can play both infield and outfield, most of his defensive innings have been on the middle infield and hot corner. With the Cubs ideally wanting insurance at third for rookie Matt Shaw, Berti is notably a career 9 DRS (defensive runs saved) 3 OAA (outs above average) and 2.6 RngR (range runs above average) at third base. He has also played 804 innings at second, and can potentially play there to start the season with Nico Hoerner recovering from flexor tendon surgery.

As a hitter, he is a speedy baserunner and puts the bat on the ball. He has 97 career stolen bases, including leading baseball with 41 swiped bags in 2022 with the Marlins. He boasts a career 13.2 UBR (ultimate base running), which accounts for the value of a runner outside of stolen bases. At the plate, his overall production is pretty average in terms of wRC+ (95) and OPS (.703) but he has a sub-20% strikeout rate over his past two seasons and his .337 career OBP is solid. Notably over his last 158 games (2023-2024), he sports a .343 OBP. The main downside with Berti is that he does not possess power, sporting just 24 career homers and never having hit more than seven in a season.

It might not make fans jump for joy, but it's a fine depth addition. He had some injury issues last year with the Yankees, but in 2023, he had a career year in Miami, hitting .294/.344/.405 in 133 games.

Last year, the bench had many struggles, but if Berti can play around his career numbers and bring the speed on the bases, that's a potential improvement. The main hope is that he is not forced to be an every day player due to injuries or severe rookie struggles from Shaw.