In 1925, Gilbert's contract was purchased by the New York Yankees as a potential insurance for injury-prone third baseman, Joe Dugan. Gilbert did not make the Yankees' roster, and he was sold in the spring of 1926 to the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association. Gilbert played for the Crackers from 1926 to 1928 and proved to be a reliable hitter, batting .305 in 1926, .314 in 1927, and .319 in 1928.
