Mets Claim Ben Rortvedt Off Waivers From Dodgers

The Mets have claimed catcher Ben Rortvedt off waivers from the Dodgers, according to a report from Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Right-hander Dedniel Nunez was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room for Rortvedt on the 40-man roster.

Rortvedt was designated for assignment by the Dodgers earlier this week in order to make room for Evan Phillips on the club’s 40-man roster. Rortvedt made his big league debut with the Twins back in 2021, and since then has bounced between the Yankees, Rays, and Dodgers organizations at the big league level. His best season came in 2024 as a member of the Rays, where he slashed .228/.317/.303 with a wRC+ of 87 and 1.4 fWAR in 112 games. Rortvedt graded out as an above average catcher in terms of blocking and pitch framing, though he threw out baserunners at a below average clip.

Overall, Rortvedt has a strong reputation defensively as a catcher and that’s why he managed to catch on with the Dodgers as their primary option to backup Will Smith down the stretch and into the playoffs when Dalton Rushing was injured. Rortvedt even made some appearances in the postseason with the Dodgers and went 3-for-7 with a double during the playoffs for Los Angeles, earning himself a World Series ring with the club this past fall. He re-signed in L.A. on a small MLB guarantee and in the weeks since then has rode the DFA carousel around the league as teams try to sneak him through waivers to serve as a depth catcher. He’s been claimed by the Reds, then re-claimed by the Dodgers, and is now being claimed by the Mets.

Now that he’s headed to New York, Rortvedt still figures to be the third catcher on the team’s depth chart behind youngster Francisco Alvarez and well-regarded defender Luis Torrens. 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 doesn’t open up a spot for him at some point before Opening Day. In the meantime, however, he’ll join the Mets in Spring Training, working with the team’s pitchers and preparing for the 2026 season. For as long as Rortvedt remains in the organization, he’ll likely push catcher Hayden Senger further down the club’s depth chart. Senger made his MLB debut last year and slashed just .181/.221/.194 in 33 games as a 28-year-old last year, but does provide the Mets with optionable depth behind the plate.