5 Yankees who are playing their way out of the team’s 2024 plans

Ben Rortvedt, C

And, hell, Kyle Higashioka, too! But, after so many years as the Yankees' backup, Higgy is a known quantity. Rortvedt? Fans are naturally inclined to be pessimistic these days, but there was at least a chance that the lefty swinger would translate his minor-league success immediately to the big league level and put some pressure on Jose Trevino for 2024.

Survey says? Nah. The Yankees still have a significant problem behind the plate that might not be solved until they nod in Austin Wells' direction.

Rortvedt, poised to be the last surviving piece of the Isiah Kiner-Falefa/Josh Donaldson/Gio Urshela/Gary Sánchez swap/flop, hit .286 with a .900 OPS in 29 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this summer after shaking off the injury bug. Since his most recent recall to the bigs after Jose Trevino decided he needed wrist surgery (in April, haha, jk, could you imagine), he's gone 1-for-19. He was a chief contributor to Monday night's season-ending (?) LOB fest in Chicago, helping to strand the trio of runners in the second inning with an ineffective popup and ushering in seven more frames of gloom. He's been on camera more often getting admonished by Gerrit Cole these days than he's been shown making solid contact.

Rortvedt could be a nice piece at Yankee Stadium if he ever gets comfortable enough to unleash the power stroke he's shown off in the minors. But if you're counting on him to solve your catching glut next season, you're probably failing to prepare rather than preparing to fail.