Before he was a backup catcher on the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series roster, Ben Rortvedt was once part of the Yankees’ catching depth and a key piece in the Josh Donaldson trade with the Minnesota Twins. But he never found traction in the Bronx, as injuries and limited opportunities left him as little more than Gerrit Cole’s personal catcher – a specialist who rarely cracked the lineup.
But, as it turned out, that time spent working with the Yankees' ace in 2023 helped shape Rortvedt into the catcher that helped the Dodgers get to where they are today.