PINCH ME! BEN RORTVEDT IS REAL & BACK IN ACTION!

You may have forgotten that Ben Rortvedt exists, and if you did I can't say I blame you. We've talked about him for so long, but never got to see him in action. Now we have physical proof he exists!

It's been the longest wait ever but after being traded to the Yankees during the 2021-2022 offseason, Rortvedt made his incredibly long overdue Yankees debut and he did not disappoint. I will gladly take two for four with a run scored in his first appearance. It may not sound exciting, but hey for the longest time nobody truly knew if he existed! It's a step in the right direction.

Now that Jose Trevino is on the Injured List, Rortvedt will get some time behind the plate when Kyle Higashioka needs a day off. Baby steps for a guy that did not get to play at all in 2022 and has the potential for the everyday catcher the Yankees have been missing for a long time.

I salivate when I think about a left handed hitter, because we always need those. But add in a guy that has great defensive capabilities and I'm ready to do some backflips. Rortvedt may not have the Jorge Posada pop that I always loved and miss to this day, but he has the arm that I would love to see throw out runners and make exciting jaw dropping plays. Oh and the fact that he can frame and block pitches doesn't hurt either. He's the opposite of Gary Sanchez and after that nightmare, I love the change.

I'm looking forward to the future. This is just the first step, but I like that his first game back in the big leagues and all of the potential that is there. For now, Trevino and Higashioka still stand behind the dish, and Rortvedt will still need seasoning in Triple-A, but I can't remember the last time I was this excited about the third catching option.

I can't wait to see more. Good to see ya back in action, Rortvedt!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj