Ben Rortvedt joined the Reds in mid-November. He had been designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati had filed a claim for him. The 28-year-old catcher is out of options, making it unlikely he won’t be cleared for waivers at the end of spring training as the Reds have both Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino under contract. Of course, an injury could have opened up a spot for him, and catchers are certainly more at risk for injury than any other position player considering the amount of foul balls they often take off their bodies.
He wanted personal injury insurance. And now he may not be anymore. He has been designated for assignment more than a few times in his career, but he has also been granted waivers and outright clearances before. That means if he clears waivers this time around, he can decline direct entry into the minor leagues if he so chooses and become a free agent instead. While some players do indeed go that route occasionally, it is rare during the season. It’s something that would almost never happen in the offseason, as players can look around to see who needs their services and put themselves in a better place for their future. Of course, that doesn’t mean he couldn’t return to the Reds on a new deal if he were to clear waivers and become a free agent.
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