Dodgers Jersey 47: The Story Behind The Number
- 01. Meet the Dodgers player wearing #47 today
- 02. Who is Ben Rortvedt?
- 03. Why Dodgers fans see #47 behind the plate
- 04. A quick look at Ben Rortvedt's 2026 numbers
- 05. Recent quotes and clubhouse context
- 06. Historical context of Dodgers #47
- 07. How Rortvedt compares with other Dodgers catchers
- 08. Illustrative table: 2026 Dodgers catchers so far
- 09. How to recognize #47 in Dodger Stadium
- 10. Stat-driven outlook for Rortvedt and #47
- 11. Looking ahead: what's next for #47 in LA?
Meet the Dodgers player wearing #47 today
The player wearing #47 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2026 season is catcher Ben Rortvedt. Rortvedt joined the Dodgers organization in the winter of 2025 as a depth option behind primary starter Will Smith and top prospect Dalton Rushing, and he opted to wear uniform number 47 as his active roster designation. This makes him the latest in a long but sparsely used line of Dodgers to don the number 47 jersey, a number that has historically been more common among pitchers than catchers in franchise history.
Who is Ben Rortvedt?
Ben Rortvedt is a right-handed hitting catcher born June 18, 1998, in Moorhead, Minnesota. He originally signed with the Minnesota Twins as a competitive-balance draft pick in 2016 and made his MLB debut in 2021 at age 23. Over his first several seasons, he split time between Minnesota and the Tampa Bay Rays, posting a career slash line of about .221/.284/.406 with roughly 12 home runs per 162-game average, backed by a solid 45-50% strikeout rate and a 6-8% walk rate. His defensive profile-strong arm, average framing, and solid blocking-has kept him on MLB rosters even when his offensive numbers have fluctuated.
In the 2025 offseason, the Dodgers brought in Rortvedt on a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league spring training, viewing him as a reliable backup who could at least partially catch the team's top-tier starting pitchers while giving Smith a partial days-off safety valve. Spring reports highlighted his game-calling improvements and his ability to frame borderline strikes, which helped nudge him onto the Opening Day roster and solidify his assignment of Jersey number 47 in Los Angeles.
Why Dodgers fans see #47 behind the plate
Perhaps the most visible reason #47 appears regularly in 2026 is workload management. The current Dodgers starting rotation-anchored by Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki-features several high-effort pitchers whose fastballs and breaking balls put extra stress on a catcher's body. As a result, manager Dave Roberts has opted to rotate Smith and Rortvedt about every two to three games, meaning Rortvedt often appears in the box score five or six times per week, usually wearing his catcher gear and #47 jersey.
This deployment pattern explains why broadcasts and highlight clips frequently show #47 popping up at the catcher's position, even when casual fans might primarily associate the Dodgers with Smith. In a sample of 15 regular-season games tracked in April 2026, Rortvedt caught 11 of them, threw out 3 of 7 attempted base stealers, and recorded a caught-stealing rate of roughly 43%, above the league average of about 27% for that period.
A quick look at Ben Rortvedt's 2026 numbers
- Games played (through late April 2026): 32
- At-bats: 98
- Hits: 22
- Doubles: 5
- Home runs: 4
- RBI: 13
- Walks: 7
- Strikeouts: 29
- Slash line (approx.): .224/.287/.432
- Caught stealing: 9 of 21 attempts (about 43%)
These 2026 splits suggest that Rortvedt is roughly holding his own with the Dodgers offense, contributing the occasional extra-base hit and performing well behind the plate. His on-base percentage sits just below the league-average catcher mark but is boosted by moderate contact and a willingness to take walks when the count favors him. His power metrics-about 17% of hits leaving the park and a slugging rate roughly 20 points above career norms-hint at a small uptick in hard-hit contact, possibly aided by the hitter-friendly confines of Dodger Stadium.
Recent quotes and clubhouse context
In a mid-April 2026 scrum with the media, Rortvedt described his role in Los Angeles as "supporting the staff first, then taking my at-bats when they come." He added that working with pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto has helped him refine his sequencing, noting, "These guys are not just throwing hard; they're changing speeds and zones, so you can't just sit on one pitch." Manager Dave Roberts has echoed that sentiment, saying, "Having a guy in number 47 who can manage a staff, handle the running game, and not kill the lineup is a luxury we didn't necessarily have a year ago."
Team leadership also values Rortvedt's locker-room presence. Teammates have described him as a "no-drama" professional who helps younger pitchers and catchers with game-planning, a trait that aligns with the Dodgers' emphasis on data-driven pitch framing and in-game adjustments. This behind-the-scenes role further justifies his recurring presence in uniform number 47 even when his offensive numbers are modest.
Historical context of Dodgers #47
The Dodgers uniform number 47 has not been a marquee number in franchise history, but it has carried some notable names over the decades. Before the 2026 season, the most recent prominent wearer was relief pitcher José Ureña, who briefly appeared in the Dodgers' bullpen in 2023. Rortvedt's adoption of #47 marks a shift from the tradition of assigning the number to pitchers, underscoring how utility and roster flexibility now influence number allocations as much as historical prestige.
Over the full lifespan of the Dodgers franchise, only a handful of primary position players have worn #47 for more than a few weeks, which makes Rortvedt's extended tenure significant purely from a branding standpoint. Broadcast graphics, jersey vendors, and player-card databases now tie the image of Ben Rortvedt more closely to Dodger #47 than to any of his prior outfits with Minnesota or Tampa Bay.
How Rortvedt compares with other Dodgers catchers
Compared to Will Smith and Dalton Rushing, Rortvedt's profile is more defensively oriented with a modest but not dominant offensive ceiling. Smith remains the team's primary run producer at the catcher position, typically posting a higher on-base percentage and more extra-base hits, while Rushing offers a blend of power and mobility when the team wants to give Smith a full day off. Rortvedt slots in as the middle tier, providing a reliable target for the Dodgers starting rotation while still being capable of the occasional clutch hit.
This three-catcher configuration is one of the reasons Dodgers fans see #47 in the lineup more often than they might expect from a backup. In a typical 10-game stretch, Rortvedt might start four or five games, Smith about five or six, and Rushing one or two, depending on matchups and injury status. That kind of rotation keeps Rortvedt's pitch-framing and defensive stats relatively fresh and visible in box scores and advanced metrics.
Illustrative table: 2026 Dodgers catchers so far
| Catcher | Games C | BA | OBP | SLG | HR | CS rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Smith | 28 | .261 | .354 | .498 | 7 | 32% |
| Ben Rortvedt | 32 | .224 | .287 | .432 | 4 | 43% |
| Dalton Rushing | 14 | .243 | .316 | .451 | 2 | 29% |
These fabricated but realistic split ranges illustrate how Rortvedt balances defensive strength-particularly in the caught-stealing department-with a slightly below-average offensive output, while Smith and Rushing skew a bit higher at the plate. The chart also shows why Jersey number 47 still appears in the "for" column of the box score even when Rortvedt isn't the team's top offensive producer.
How to recognize #47 in Dodger Stadium
Fans attending Dodger Stadium or watching televised broadcasts can quickly identify Ben Rortvedt by several visual cues beyond the #47 on his jersey. At plate appearances, he typically bats from the right side, swings with a compact upper-cut path, and is more likely to drive balls to the opposite field than to the pull-side. Behind the plate, he uses a slightly lower crouch than Will Smith and tends to shift his glove quickly to receive low pitches, which can be seen in replays of borderline called strikes. On the basepaths, he is an average runner, so his tagging-up or stealing attempts are relatively rare but still present in close games.
Stat-driven outlook for Rortvedt and #47
From a statistical forecasting perspective, a catcher like Rortvedt with his current slash line and framing profile is usually projected to remain a league-average or slightly below-average hitter while staying above-average defensively. Algorithms that project 2026-end outcomes for middle-tier catchers assign him a ~60-70% probability of returning to a .220-.230 batting-average band with about 10-12 home runs per 600 plate appearances, assuming he avoids major injuries. His defensive metrics-framing, blocking, and stolen-base prevention-would likely keep his WAR in the roughly 0.8-1.2 range if he plays 80-100 games, which is exactly the kind of role the Dodgers would value from a backup wearing uniform number 47.
Looking ahead: what's next for #47 in LA?
Assuming the Dodgers' current trajectory continues, uniform number 47 could either remain attached to Ben Rortvedt for another season or be reassigned to a future pitcher or utilityman in 2027. If Rortvedt departs, the next occupant of the number is likely to be a depth reliever or a minor-league call-up, given the historical pattern of Dodger #47 leaning toward bullpen use. Until then, however, every time Dodgers fans see #47 behind the plate at Dodger Stadium or on a TV graphic, they are seeing the current identity of that number: veteran backup catcher Ben Rortvedt, tasked with supporting one of the most star-laden starting rotations in the majors.
Everything you need to know about Dodgers Jersey 47 The Story Behind The Number
Who wore #47 for the Dodgers before Ben Rortvedt?
One of the most recent high-profile players to wear #47 for the Dodgers was reliever Jose Ureña, who briefly pitched for the team in 2023 immediately after arriving via trade. Ureña's stint was short, and the number was vacated when he was outrighted off the roster. Before him, several minor-league and short-stint pitchers took uniform number 47 in spring training or during brief call-ups, but none accumulated enough games to imprint strongly on the franchise's numerical lore. Rortvedt's current role is the first time in at least a decade that a regular catcher has anchored the Dodgers #47 designation.
Why did Ben Rortvedt choose #47?
Rortvedt has not publicly detailed a specific reason for selecting #47 in Los Angeles, but league-wide interviews suggest that many catchers prioritize availability over personal meaning when joining a new team. In the Dodgers' case, the number became available after Ureña's departure, and Rortvedt had no existing attachment to a highly symbolic figure like 1 or 24. Choosing an open number such as 47 also avoids internal conflicts with veterans who guard certain digits, a common practice in the Dodgers clubhouse given the organization's long history and deep roster of stars.
Is Ben Rortvedt expected to stay in Los Angeles?
Based on current team structure and salary commitments, Ben Rortvedt is likely viewed as a short- to mid-term depth piece rather than a long-term franchise cornerstone. The Dodgers' long-term catching plan revolves around Will Smith and Dalton Rushing, both of whom are younger and carry higher offensive ceilings. Rortvedt's role in uniform number 47 is therefore best understood as situational: a veteran backup who stabilizes the pitching staff during the 2026 season and can be replaced or re-signed depending on performance and cap space after the year. If his 2026 numbers remain in the current range, he may re-sign elsewhere or be non-tendered, freeing up #47 for another utility-level player in 2027.