CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs have signed infielder Jon Berti to a one-year major league contract. To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder Luis Vázquez has been designated for assignment. The Cubs’ 40-man roster now stands at 40 players.
Berti, 35, has a career batting average of .259 (372-for-1,436) with 156 walks, 126 RBIs, 97 stolen bases, and 24 home runs in 461 major league games across seven seasons with Toronto (2018), Miami (2019-23), and New York Yankees (2024). He made his major league debut on September 26, 2018, in Houston, recording his first career hit. In 2023, Berti played a career-high 133 games for the Marlins, batting .294 (113-for-388) with seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
In 2024, Berti batted .273 (18-for-66) with six RBIs, five stolen bases, and one home run in 25 games. Since the start of the 2018 season, his 97 stolen bases rank second among third basemen in the majors, behind Cleveland’s Jose Ramírez (min. 450 games). In 2022, Berti led the National League with 41 stolen bases and received the MLBPAA Marlins Heart and Hustle Award.
A native of Troy, Michigan, Berti was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2011 draft out of Bowling Green State and attended Troy High School. He was an MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2013 with the Blue Jays. In 2008, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 36th round but did not sign.
Vázquez, 25, appeared in 11 major league games for the Cubs, hitting .083 (1-for-12) with one RBI. He made his major league debut on May 22, 2024, against Atlanta.
