Former Cubs free agent bust trying to turn WBC run into new opportunity

As the Chicago Cubs have struggled to find consistent production from their bench in recent years, they've developed a trend in becoming the final stop for a fringe MLB veteran trying to keep their playing career active. Trey Mancini is still trying to find his way back to the majors after posting a 75 wRC+ with the Cubs in 2023, and that same year marked Eric Hosmer's final season before retirement.

The signing of Jon Berti ahead of the 2025 season is certainly in the same bucket as Mancini and Hosmer. Berti led the National League in steals in 2022 with the Miami Marlins, but by the time he reached the Cubs in 2025, Father Time wasn't on his side. He didn't exactly have the wheels to be considered a true option to steal a base late in games,

Jon Berti is hopefully the last reminder of a painful trend in the Cubs' roster construction.

Case in point, Berti's last act with the Cubs was being thrown out on a steal attempt against the St. Louis Cardinals last August. By that point, it was clear that if Berti was incapable of stealing a base when it mattered the most for the Cubs, he didn't exactly have a purpose on the roster.

While versatile, his offensive struggles also made it clear that he can't be in a starting lineup for any sustainable amount of time. In 107 plate appearances last season, Berti slashed .210/.262/.230 with a wRC+ of 42. It's not exactly a surprise that no team was willing to pick him up at the end of the 2025 season to help their playoff push.

Berti was ignored during the offseason but is hoping that a successful run with Team Italy during the World Baseball Classic turns his fortunes around.

Fortunately, the Cubs won't be one of those teams. Short of an unexpected injury, it's hard to imagine Berti finding a new team before Opening Day. But as Mancini rounds out spring training with the Los Angeles Angels, it's a reminder that there is eventually going to be a team that takes a gamble on the veteran infielder.

Fortunately for the Cubs, Matt Shaw will be taking over as the Cubs' utility man in 2026, and it's a sign of how Jed Hoyer and Co. should approach the bench moving forward. It should be used as a gateway to a larger runway for the organization's top prospect. Not a stopgap for a veteran on the path to retirement.