INF/OF Jon Berti sent to the Yankees as part of the three-team trade
MIAMI – The Miami Marlins today announced that the team has acquired outfield prospects John Cruz from the New York Yankees and Shane Sasaki from the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a three-team trade that includes INF/OF Jon Berti going to the Yankees.
Cruz, 18, was signed by New York-AL as an International free agent out of the Dominican Republic during the 2022 International signing period. In 48 games with the FCL Yankees in 2023, the left-handed hitter slashed .294/.376/.531 (52×177) with six doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, and nine stolen bases. He led the Florida Coast League with 47 RBI and ranked second in homers, earning FCL Post-Season All-Star honors following his second professional campaign. Entering the 2024 season, Cruz is listed by MLB Pipeline as the No. 28 prospect in the Yankees organization.
Sasaki, 23, was selected by Tampa Bay in the third round (99th overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Iolani High School in Honolulu, Hawaii. The 5-foot-11 outfielder owns a .302 AVG (236×782) with 48 doubles, nine triples, 18 home runs, and 113 RBI across four seasons in the Rays Minor League system. The 2022 Rays Organization All-Star has compiled 86 stolen bases over four Minor League seasons, notching a career-high 47 swipes during the 2022 season with Single-A Charleston. Ranked by Baseball America as the Rays No. 21 prospect entering the 2024 season, Sasaki has posted a .978 fielding pct. in over 1,000 innings in center field.
Berti, 34, set career highs last season by batting .296 (115×389) with 16 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, and 33 RBI in 133 games. The utility infielder/outfielder appeared in 64 games (52 starts) at shortstop, 41 games (27 starts) at third base, 18 games (11 starts) at left field, 15 games (10 starts) at second base, and one game at right field. He owns a .258 AVG (354×1370) with 63 doubles, nine triples, 23 home runs, 120 RBI, and 92 stolen bases spanning six Major League seasons with Toronto (2018) and Miami (2019-23). Berti led the Majors with 41 stolen bases during the 2022 season, becoming the first Marlins player since Dee Strange-Gordon (2017) to steal at least 40 bases in a season.
The Marlins begin the 2024 regular season tomorrow, facing the Pittsburgh Pirates at 4:10 p.m. on Opening Day at loanDepot park. Fans can secure their seats now to catch Marlins Baseball this season at Marlins.com/Tickets.
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