Just five weeks after adding him to the roster, the Mets are already expected to move on from Ben Rortvedt in a surprising preâOpening Day decision. Rortvedt filled in for injured Dodgers catcher Will Smith in the early rounds of last year’s National League playoffs, collecting three hits in seven at-bats, including a double. The solid postseason performance was not enough to prevent the Dodgers from designating the 28-year-old Rortvedt for assignment last month.
The Mets quickly claimed Rortvedt, once a highly regarded prospect in the Minnesota Twins’ system, off the waiver wire and added him to their 40-man roster on February 15. That sudden reversal underscores just how tight the Metsâ roster crunch has become with Opening Day days away.
The Twins selected Rortvedt in the second round of the 2016 draft, out of Verona High School in Verona, Wisconsin, “knowing that a high school catcher from a cold-weather state might take longer to develop,” according to MLB Pipeline. By 2020, the backstop rose to become the No. 28 prospect in the Twins’ minor league system, per the MLB Pipeline rankings.
“Rortvedtâs upside as a potential backup backstop primarily comes from his defense,” wrote analyst Linus Lawrence of SB Nation, when the Mets claimed Rortvedt from Los Angeles. “Back in 2021, he racked up a fielding run value of 5 despite only playing in 39 games. He still grades as an above-average pitch framer, and he averaged 85.3 mph on his throws last season (good for 16th highest in baseball, just behind Francisco Alvarez).”
GettyThe New York Mets are expected to waive or trade catcher Ben Rortvedt, seen here hitting for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, before Opening Day after claiming him off waivers from the Dodgers in February.
Rortvedt Losing 3-Way Catching Competition
Rortvedt was always going to have a tough time making the Metsâ roster. When the team claimed him off waivers, Rortvedt was already behind likely starter Francisco Ãlvarez and defensive specialist Luis Torrens on the Mets’ depth chart.
“Rortvedt does not have options remaining, so the Mets will either have to designate him for assignment or carry three catchers on their roster if an injury doesnât open up a spot for him at some point before Opening Day,” explained Nick Deeds, a writer for MLB Trade Rumors.
Early on Friday afternoon, MLB Trade Rumors reported that, “the Mets will probably have to put Ben Rortvedt on waivers this week.”
The reason is simple. Unless manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns decide that Rortvedt is a better addition than Torrens, or in the unlikely event that they decide to carry three catchers into the season, the Mets must either trade Rortvedt or designate him for assignment before Wednesday’s deadline for MLB teams to finalize their Opening Day rosters.
How Did Rortvedt Play in Spring Training?
While like Torrens, Rortvedt is known as a defense-first catcher, his bat offered him a chance to distinguish himself for the Mets’ brass in spring training. Unfortunately, he was unable to muster much offense at all in 13 Grapefruit League games.
In 24 at-bats, Rortvedt managed just four hits while striking out six times and walking twice.
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