Player Profile: Ben Rortvedt
Original photo credit: Hitters Baseball
Not many high school baseball players from Wisconsin get drafted by MLB teams. In 2014, Holmen’s Jeren Kendall was selected in the 30th round by the Boston Red Sox. In 2012, Kenosha Bradford’s Nathan Mikolas and McDonell Central’s Kyle Cody were picked by the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, respectively. That list may expand this June.
Ben Rortvedt of Verona High School is drawing serious attention from those who follow the draft. The senior catcher was a Perfect Game All-American last summer and is ranked 55th on Baseball America’s Top 100 Draft Prospects list. While the draft looms large in early June, Rortvedt says he’s just trying to enjoy the ride.
“It's hard not to think about it but I am just trying to let things unfold on their own. I don't want to put pressure on myself. I want to enjoy the spring with my team and have a memorable senior season,” he said.
Last year, Rortvedt batted .437 for Verona with 5 home runs and 29 RBIs. His efforts were enough to get him named to our All-Wisconsin team and invited to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic in San Diego.
“Being invited out to San Diego was a dream come true. I remember as a kid always watching the game and thinking the players were superstars and distant to myself so being able to participate in the game was pretty special,” he said.
The experience wasn’t just about the game, though. The players made a visit to Rady’s Children Hospital during their time in California.
“Visiting the Children's Hospital really put it all in perspective and showed me that the whole weekend was bigger than just baseball and that it truly was for a cause,” Rortvedt said. “Spending time with the children and seeing their faces light up was special. It was a weekend that I'll never forget.”
As he and his high school teammates take the field this spring, they’ll need to shake the burden of two consecutive losses in the sectional championship round of the playoffs. In 2014, they fell to Janesville Parker 4-1. Last year, they were defeated 10-0 by state champion Janesville Craig. The Wildcats have been on the cusp of reaching the state tournament for a long time, and they feel they have a very realistic chance to do so.
“Losing in the sectional final wasn't fun the first time and it definitely didn't feel any better the second time, especially when you get beaten on like Janesville Craig did to us last year. It gives us a lot of motivation coming into the season. We don't want that same feeling that we had in our stomachs again this year,” Rortvedt said. “[This year] we want to make a state berth and go as far as we can. I believe this year out of all my four years is the year that we have the best chance.”
Rortvedt is committed to play baseball at the University of Arkansas next year. There were a variety of factors that played into his decision to commit to the Razorbacks.
“Being from Wisconsin, location played a big factor. I wanted to go to a warmer state. Also, I have always wanted to play in the SEC. As soon as I walked on campus I fell in love with the college. The facilities and coaching staff are incredible and I could see myself growing as a baseball player there. Lastly, I wanted to go somewhere that could compete to go to Omaha,” he said.
Whatever happens, it’ll be an exciting next few months for Rortvedt and the Wildcats. The MLB Draft is on June 9th, and the WIAA spring state tournament starts on June 14th. If all goes to plan for Rortvedt, he’ll have something to celebrate on both of those dates.
