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Puckett’s Pond’s Minnesota Twins Top-40 prospects: #16-20

By Nate Palmer

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 20: A Minnesota Twins cap and glove in the dug out before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at on August 20, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 20: A Minnesota Twins cap and glove in the dug out before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at on August 20, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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No. 18 Ben Rortvedt, C, Fort Myers Miracle

Nate’s Rank: 24, Gary’s Rank: 12

Ben Rortvedt has been an intriguing prospect for the Twins since he was selected in 2016 with the Twins 2nd round draft pick, 56th overall. Some of the interest comes from the fact that Rortvedt plays a position in catcher that has been pretty shallow for the Twins in the recent past. He also comes to the Twins from a place not too far away from the major league club, Verona, Wisconsin.

Reading about how Rortvedt needed to approach his development as a baseball player in the small community of Verona just outside of Madison is one of inspiration. It puts on the display the exact type of work ethic a prospect needs to go from potential to major leaguer. It will serve him well as he continues to develop the defensive side of his game and grows his strength as a hitter.

In 2017, Rortvedt saw a bit of a dip with his bat as his slash line dropped down to .224/.284/.315. A lot of that can be attributed to a slow start in April and May. He has had a much more consistent 2018 after starting in Cedar Rapids and batting .276/.325/.386 with nine doubles and a home run and now moving to Fort Myers where he has continued on with a slash line of .253/.347/.373, seven doubles, and three home runs.

The box score numbers may not immediately impress, but after being drafted as a catcher out of high school and only 20-years-old there is a lot to be impressed with regarding Rortvedt’s development. If he continues to work like he did to get drafted there is a good chance Rortvedt will put on a major league uniform some day.

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