2023 Marlins Season Review: Jon Berti

Relive all of the ups and downs of the 2023 Miami Marlins with our Fish On First Season Review, containing detailed articles about a wide variety of players. The FOF staff analyzes the individual impact that each of them had and what it means for their future with the organization.

This installment focuses on utility player Jon Berti.

2023 Timeline

• August 21—Sets new career high with 103 games played
• September 24—Collects second career multi-HR game
• September 27—Homers in 4-2 win over New York to secure Miami's first winning record in a full-length season since 2009

Notable 2023 stats: 133 G, 7 HR, 16 SB, 103 OPS+, 5 DRS, 2.5 rWAR (age-33 season)

Since arriving to the Marlins organization on a modest minor league deal, Jon Berti has been a quality contributor. It seemed as though he was achieving peak performance in 2022 when he led the majors with 41 stolen bases.

You could make the case that Berti's 2023 campaign was even better. He replicated his previous year's production in terms of wins above replacement, but also played 31 additional games. That increased volume helped Berti set new career highs in hits (114), home runs (7), RBI (33), total bases (157), and adjusted OPS+ (103).

Berti produced 11 of Miami's go-ahead RBI in 2023, including four in the eighth inning or later, highlighted by a walk-off single to beat the Pirates on June 24.

Berti completed the regular season on a high note by recording multiple hits in six of his last 10 games.

Despite MLB's implementation of bigger bases and restrictions on pickoff attempts in 2023, Berti's stolen base total fell from 41 to just 16. Opportunities to steal were abundant, yet he didn't run nearly as often, and when he did, his success rate plummeted (career-worst six times caught stealing).

It's not as if Berti's athleticism eroded. He only saw a marginal drop in average sprint speed, from 29.6 to 29.3 ft/sec, still putting him in the 95th percentile. Manager Skip Schumaker did note on several occasions that Berti had been dealing with general soreness. Also worth mentioning, this was Schumaker's first year on the job. Under his direction, the Marlins roster as a whole was less inclined to run than they had been with Don Mattingly in charge.

Berti's solid counting stats at the plate still came with some warts. He posted a career-low 85.4 mph average exit velocity, ranking in the second percentile among big league hitters. Normally a relatively patient hitter, Berti also saw a significant year-over-year drop to his walk rate, from 10.4 to 6.8 percent (77th to 30th percentile).

On the other side of the ball, Berti saw time at five defensive positions. That included 52 starts at shortstop, more than doubling his previous career total there. He posted positive total zone runs at SS (+3), 3B (+2) and LF (+3). For the year, his efforts with the glove netted him a respectable six total zone fielding runs, five outs above average (OAA), and five defensive runs saved. Only Joey Wendle accrued more value by way of DRS among Marlins position players than Berti did in 2023.

Looking Ahead

While it's not out of the realm of possibility for Berti to replicate his 2023 production in 2024, regression seems the safer bet. Consider the larger sample of his career, the fact that he'll be 34 years old, as well as the uncharacteristically high .349 batting average on balls in play he benefited from this past summer. The Marlins should proceed as if he'll be a versatile bench piece rather than a consistent starter at any particular spot.

On Monday, the Marlins exercised Berti's 2024 team option at $3.625M, good value for a Swiss army knife-type like him.

Photo by Jesus Sanchez/Fish On First