Bowling Green State University Athletics
Jon Berti Records First MLB Hit In Major League Debut
September 26, 2018 | Baseball
Jon Berti Year-By-Year Statistics
TORONTO – Former Falcon Jon Berti, who starred for the Bowling Green State University baseball team from 2009-2011, made his Major League Baseball debut today (Sept. 26) for the Toronto Blue Jays. Berti played second base and batted ninth in the Blue Jays' 3-1 win over the Houston Astros.
On the day, Berti became the 18th player in school history to reach the Major Leagues. Berti played in 792 minor league games across eight seasons before getting his well-deserved call to "The Show." Berti began the day in Michigan, did not arrive in Toronto until early afternoon, and was not aware that he would be activated, let alone start, until after he landed in Toronto.
Berti went 1-for-3 in the ballgame and was flawless defensively. Wearing the No. 64 jersey, Berti also registered one putout and two assists. The Troy, Michigan native's first hit came with one out and nobody on base in the bottom of the seventh inning. Berti was first-pitch swinging on a 94 MPH fastball off Houston's Dean Deetz. The pitch was absolutely scolded and went into center field for a line-drive base hit.
Defensively, Berti fielded a ground ball at second for the final out of the third inning. In the top of the seventh, with no outs and a runner at first, Houston's Max Stassi grounded the ball to Toronto third baseman Aledmys Diaz. Diaz fired the ball to Berti at second for the force out, and then Berti completed the double play with a strike to Blue Jays' first baseman Rowdy Tellez.
Toronto is scheduled to close out its 2018 season with a three-game series in Tampa Bay over Sept. 28-30.
"I could not be more proud of Jon Berti," said head coach Danny Schmitz. "He is the absolute definition of what it means to be a Falcon. Jon has made it a point to come back to Bowling Green every year since he was drafted. He has had a profound impact on many current and former Falcon baseball players. He is a role model that our players look up to. What an amazing day for Jon, his family, and all of the BGSU Baseball community."
BERTI'S 2018 SEASON IN PRO BASEBALL
• Berti had arguably his best season in the minors this year, hitting .295 in 105 games between the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
• Most notably, he hit .314 in 72 games to lead the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Double-A) to an Eastern League Championship. The Fisher Cats went a perfect 6-0 in the playoffs, and Berti went 3-for-4 in the final game of the championship series.
• After beginning the year with the Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A), Berti was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He appeared in 29 games for the Columbus Clippers – the Indians' Triple-A affiliate – before finding his way back to the Toronto Blue Jays organization to close out the season.
• Berti is New Hampshire's all-time franchise leader in hits, steals and triples. This season, he also hit a walk-off, inside-the-park home run for the Fisher Cats, on top of hitting for a natural cycle, which was capped with a home run in the ninth inning.
BERTI AT BOWLING GREEN
• Berti was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 36th round of the 2008 MLB Draft coming out of Troy (Michigan) High School. Berti, however, elected to honor his commitment to Bowling Green. He was drafted again, this time in the 18th round by the Toronto Blue Jays, in the 2011 MLB Draft.
• Played in 146 games at Bowling Green for head coach Danny Schmitz. Berti is Schmitz's nephew.
• Hit .386 across his career as a Falcon, racking up 207 hits, 134 runs, 93 RBI, 56 stolen bases, 24 doubles, 17 triples and 11 home runs. He posted an outrageous 1.020 OPS in the Orange and Brown.
• First Team All-MAC selection in 2010 and 2011. He was voted Bowling Green's Male Athlete of the Year in 2010 and 2011, as well.
• His 93 hits in 2010 ranks first all-time for a single-season at Bowling Green.
• He also hit six triples in 2010, which is tied for the program record. His 17 career triples is tops all-time in school history.
• Berti ranks fourth in school history with 56 steals.
• Berti's .386 career batting average at Bowling Green is second in program history only to Kelly Hunt's .399 average. Hunt, who played at BGSU from 2000-03, is a BGSU Athletics Hall of Famer.
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
— BGSU Baseball ⚾️ (@BGSU_Baseball) September 26, 2018
Former Falcon Jon Berti has been promoted to the Toronto Blue Jays and will make his MLB debut TODAY vs. Houston!!!!!!
Jon is batting ninth & playing second base, becoming the 18th Big League player in school history!!!!!
CONGRATS, @jonny_hustle!!!! pic.twitter.com/6kqi6LRdK4
Perseverance pays off!
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 26, 2018
Jon Berti spent 8 seasons in our Minor League system. Today, he makes his @MLB debut.
Welcome to The Show, @jonny_hustle! pic.twitter.com/nc9K6Jw4pD
The team is locked in to @jonny_hustle's MLB debut. Looking great out there, Jon!!! #OnceAFalconAlwaysAFalcon pic.twitter.com/BGe4OC1bAg
— BGSU Baseball ⚾️ (@BGSU_Baseball) September 26, 2018
ROSTER MOVES:
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 26, 2018
We've recalled INF/OF Jon Berti and transferred INF/OF Brandon Drury to the 60-day DL.@jonny_hustle makes his @MLB debut this afternoon, batting 9th and playing second base. pic.twitter.com/2JfH3xyFKX
81 of 81. Here is your #BlueJays lineup for the final home game of the season. https://t.co/HjVC9iaQlN pic.twitter.com/kVXeeLmkXT
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 26, 2018
John Gibbons: Man of the people. pic.twitter.com/gzzU1hIaLE
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 26, 2018
JON BERTI!!!!!!! HE DID IT!!!!!
— EASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPS (@FisherCats) September 26, 2018
Congratulations to the Fisher Cats All-Time leader in Hits, Steals, Triples, and Walk-Off Inside-The-Park Home Runs. He's officially a big leaguer.#JohnnyHustle #Grinder https://t.co/HcSVO17Tad
John Gibbons said he feels happier for Jon Berti (getting his first MLB hit) than for himself today. "You won't find someone more beloved (than Jon)"
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) September 26, 2018
Gibbons goes to make a pitching change, notices that he's on the big screen and then grabs Jon Berti to pose with him. Now a standing ovation as Gibbons walks off the field. #BlueJays
— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) September 26, 2018