The New York Mets are still focused on run prevention, and they’ve been building up their catching depth with that in mind. The latest example of this is the Mets claiming catcher Ben Rortvedt off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Rortvedt was designed for assignment by the Dodgers to make room for pitcher Evan Phillips on LA’s 40-man roster, and he profiles as a classic backup defensive catcher who’s bounced around due to his lack of offense. He started his career with the Minnesota Twins, and he’s also played for the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and the Dodgers.
His best season came in Tampa Bay in 2024, when he slashed .228/.317/.303 in 112 games. Rortvedt’s defensive metrics were strong, though, especially in blocking and framing. He was below average at throwing out baserunners, according to DiComo, but the catcher still has a strong defensive reputation.
That reputation allowed him to catch in with the Dodgers late last season, and he actually did some of his best offensive work during the playoffs. He stepped up with catcher Dalton Rushing was hurt and became the primary backup for Will Smith, and Rortvedt managed to go 3-for-7 with a double during the playoffs.
He now has a World Series ring to go with his growing uniform collection, and he re-signed with the Dodgers for a small amount of guaranteed money that was unspecified in DiComo’s report.
That guarantee wasn’t big enough to keep Rortvedt from riding the DFA carousel this offseason. He was claimed by the Reds, then reclaimed by the Dodgers, and now the Mets have added him. Right now he profiles as the third catcher behind Francisco Alvarez and his defensive backup, Luis Torrens.
He’s out of options so the Mets will either have to DFA him once again or carry three catches on their Opening Day roster, which seems unlikely given all the uncertainty the Mets currently have at multiple positions and on their pitching staff.
For the moment the Mts are bringing Rortvedt to camp, where he’ll work with the team’s pitchers as he and the Mets decide his Opening Day fate. The fourth catcher on the depth chart is Hayden Senger, a 28-year old who made his major league debut last year, but Senger slashed just .181/.221/.194 in 33 games, so that part of the competition seems fairly wide open at this point.