Ben Rortvedt Pitches In For Quade

FORT MYERS, Fla. —Twins officials often feel like Ben Rortvedt is always around.

Vice president for player personnel Mike Radcliff is really glad he is.

“Since the day we signed him, it seems like he’s been in our camp,” said Radcliff of the 19-year-old Rortvedt. “I came down for instructional league, and he’s here. We had a staff meeting in December, and he was here for strength camp. We had our scouting summit in January, and he’s here because he came in early. He’s everywhere.”

That talent came in handy when Triple-A Rochester manager Mike Quade was injured when a car rear-ended his SUV at a high speed while Quade and his girlfriend sat at a Fort Myers stoplight on Feb. 25. Somehow, Rortvedt was there, too.

The catching prospect, a second-round pick last summer out of high school in Verona, Wis., was in an adjacent car with three other Twins minor leaguers—lefthander Austin Tribby, outfielder Caleb Hamilton and second baseman Dane Hutcheon—and while their car was damaged, too, they rushed to help Quade.

The players helped get Quade’s girlfriend out of the car and off the road and checked on others who were injured. Only when Quade told police that he was a Twins manager did he or the players realize their connection.

“The kids did one hell of a job. They handled themselves so well. They kept their heads and were incredibly helpful,” said Quade, who suffered a torn rotator cuff in the accident. “They could not have been better. We’re as lucky as you can be.”

The Twins feel lucky to have Rortvedt, who projects as a solid defender with decent power.

“He’s a little short in stature (5-foot-10), but he’s very strong from his fingertips to his shoulder,” Radcliff said. “He’s going to have durability as a defender, but he’s also got the strength to have an impact with the bat.”

TWIN KILLINGS

• Quade’s injury will require surgery to repair, and sets up an unusual problem at Triple-A. He won’t be able to pitch batting practice, and hitting coach Chad Allen is limited by his own shoulder injury.

• Reigning Appalachian League MVP Alex Kirilloff had Tommy John surgery in early March and will miss the 2017 season. The Twins selected the Pittsburgh prep outfielder 15th overall in last year’s draft.

— Phil Miller covers the Twins for the Minneapolis Star Tribune