Blue Jays’ Jon Berti climbs depth chart with strong play

Toronto Blue Jays minor league infielder Jon Berti is turning heads while putting himself on the map with his strong play during Grapefruit League action in Dunedin.

Jon Berti is climbing up the Blue Jays depth chart after an impressive start to spring training. The 27-year old second baseman is batting .333 with 8 hits in 24 at-bats and two stolen bases thus far this spring.

The former 18th round selection in the 2011 amateur draft has spent the last six seasons toiling in the Jays farm system. Throughout his minor league career, Berti has made stops in Dunedin, Vancouver, Lansing, New Hampshire, Buffalo, Canberra, and Mesa.

Berti owns a career .262/.350/.354 slash line with 249 stolen bases in 689 professional games with the Blue Jays organization. The infielder is predominately a second baseman but has seen playing time at shortstop, third base, left field and center field.

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The utility player will more than likely begin the season in triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons, however, could get the call to the majors if the need arises for infield help. The Blue Jays currently have Ryan Goins, Darwin Barney, and Jake Elmore on the depth chart but Berti is not far off.

Berti has an element to his game that Goins, Barney, and Elmore cannot provide and that is game changing speed. The fleet afoot Berti has swiped 56, 44, 40 and 36 bags during various minor league stops. A definite asset the Jays could afford to utilize more often.

They don’t call him @jonny_hustle for nothing! 💯 pic.twitter.com/m8XGqIZM0G

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You won’t see Berti on any top prospect rankings but he is a serviceable, scrappy ball player who plays the game the right way and won’t cost you defensively. It would be great to see him get a shot with the big club in the not so distant future.