Rortvedt (oblique) is taking swings and will catch in the bullpen Sunday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Rortvedt has been ramping up his activity in recent days, and the plan is for him to play in Grapefruit League games soon. However, it remains a possibility that he will open the season on the injured list, which could mean the Yankees would rely on a combination of Kyle Higashioka, Rob Brantly and David Freitas behind the plate.

Rortvedt (oblique) took dry swings Friday and has been throwing at 120 feet, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Rortvedt was diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain last weekend, but it's encouraging to see him taking swings once again. The 24-year-old is expected to return to game action at some point before the end of spring training, but it's still possible that he'll require a stint on the injured list to begin the year with a week and a half remaining until Opening Day. Regardless of his status to begin the regular season, Rortvedt has certainly made encouraging progress in his recovery so far.

Rortvedt (oblique) has thrown at distances up to 90 feet and is expected to get into games before the end of camp, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Rortvedt has been dealing with the injury for some time, as the Yankees were reportedly aware of the issue prior to trading for him March 13. However, the backstop appears to be improving, and manager Aaron Boone said that he should begin swinging a bat soon. Rortvedt could still open the season on the injured list, but if he makes it into some spring contests and doesn't suffer any setbacks, it's certainly possible that he could be healthy enough to play by Opening Day.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday that Rortvedt (oblique) could begin the season on the injured list, Marly Rivera of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Based on Cashman's comments, Rortvedt's injury was actually something that the catcher was dealing with prior to being acquired from the Twins on March 13, but the oblique issue didn't present enough concerns for the Yankees to nix the deal. Once healthy, Rortvedt could be a candidate to fill the large side of a platoon at catcher, but if he's sidelined to begin the season, Kyle Higashioka could be looking at something close to a full-time role behind the dish. Non-roster invitees Rob Brantly and David Freitas are the only other players in the organization with prior MLB catching experience.

Manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that Rortvedt is dealing with a Grade 1 oblique strain, Brendan Kuty of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

EDGE Analysis

Rortvedt will be shut down from hitting for five days after being diagnosed with the Grade 1 strain, and Boone expressed concern regarding the catcher's availability for Opening Day. The 24-year-old was expected to compete with Kyle Higashioka for playing time at catcher during spring training, but Rortvedt's shutdown means that Higashioka could begin the 2022 campaign as the Yankees' primary catcher.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone both said Monday that Rortvedt will compete with Kyle Higashioka for playing time behind the plate during spring training, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Before he was dealt to the Yankees on Sunday as part of the trade that sent Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela to the Twins, Rortvedt was a relative unknown after batting .169 over 98 plate appearances in 39 games as a part-time catcher for the Twins in 2021. The 24-year-old never posted an OPS better than .750 at any stop of the minors, but he was apparently a coveted piece for the Yankees thanks to his exceptional framing skills behind the plate. In that respect, Rortvedt is a dramatic departure from the bat-first Sanchez, and his inclusion in the deal along with another strong up-the-middle defender in shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa perhaps signals a shift in a Yankees organization that had gone all in on offense for a while. Rortvedt's stellar defense alone may not be enough to earn him the No. 1 spot on the depth chart, however, as he may need to tap into a little more pop to hold off the more experienced Higashioka for starts. At least early on, the lefty-hitting Rortvedt may have to settle for the large side of a platoon with the righty-hitting Higashioka.

Rortvedt, Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa were traded from the Twins to the Yankees on Saturday in exchange for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela.

EDGE Analysis

Rortvedt finished the 2021 campaign on the injured list at Triple-A St. Paul, but he should be fully healthy heading into spring training. The 24-year-old struggled to find consistent at-bats behind Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers in Minnesota, and he slashed .169/.229/.281 with three homers, eight runs and seven RBI across 39 appearances during his first taste of major-league action last year. Now that Sanchez is in Minnesota, the Yankees plan to utilize Rortvedt on the strong side of a platoon to begin the 2022 season, while Kyle Higashioka should see most of the playing time against left-handed pitchers.

Rortvedt was placed on the injured list at Triple-A St. Paul due to a concussion Thursday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.

EDGE Analysis

The move was backdated to Sunday, so Rortvedt is technically eligible to return for the final day of the regular season, though that's seemingly unlikely. The 24-year-old appeared in 39 major-league games in his debut season this year but struggled to a .169/.229/.281 slash line.

Rortvedt was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.

EDGE Analysis

Rortvedt had served as extra catching depth since late August while Mitch Garver was out with a back injury. He went 6-for-19 with a homer in his latest stint with the team. With Garver now healthy, he's no longer needed, so he'll head back to the minors.

Rortvedt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-3 loss to Toronto.

EDGE Analysis

The catcher cut the deficit to two runs with his seventh-inning blast, but that was as close as it got. Rortvedt has gone 5-for-17 across eight games (six starts) in September, although Sunday's homer was his first extra-base hit of the month. He's slashing a meager .169/.229/.281 with three homers, seven RBI and eight runs scored across 98 plate appearances this year.