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Jon Berti 2023 Player Outlook: Production Limited To Stolen Bases And Hindered By Playing Time
2 years agoMiami Marlins utility player Jon Berti took his base stealing to a new level in 2022, leading the league with 41 steals across just 102 games. He had 97th-percentile sprint speed and has always been an aggressive baserunner, swiping 35 bags in his first 201 games. However, Berti's other numbers left much to be desired. He hit .240 this season with four home runs, 47 runs, and 28 RBI. That's been the story of his career, as Berti owns a career .244 batting average with 16 home runs over 303 contests. The 32-year-old's 88 MPH average exit velocity was in the 33rd percentile, and besides his four games in 2018, he's never posted a mark better. Despite his low batting averages, Berti hits a ton of ground balls (54.7% career ground ball rate). With a 6.7% barrel rate over five seasons, the five-year vet will never produce double-digit home runs with so many balls on the ground. Furthermore, with the addition of Jean Segura, Berti is without a spot in the starting lineup, even after the Miguel Rojas trade, and may find it hard to get consistent reps. Fantasy managers are drafting him at pick 245, but that's a reach for a poor hitter without an everyday job, even if he reaches 30 stolen bases.
