Harry Ford: our new catcher of the future

[imref]

Wow. Imagine what Gore could bring in this market for pitching.

some chatter that crochet is the equivalent.

[Natsinpwc]

Seems like a good trade and the kind Rizzo was unable or unwilling to make his last few years.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/12/06/nationals-mariners-jose-a-ferrer/

Ferrer, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2017, reasonably could have been part of Washington’s long-term plans. In 2025 — his first full season in the majors — the 25-year-old became the team’s closer, stabilized down the stretch and posted peripherals that suggested the top-line numbers (11 saves, 4.48 ERA) weren’t indicative of his true ability.

Not to mention, Ferrer isn’t set to become a free agent until 2030, which theoretically would have given him multiple years of control within the Nationals’ competitive window.

All of these factors made Ferrer compelling to teams such as Seattle. The market for high-leverage left-handed relievers in free agency this year in thin. October bullpens are built with 98-mph arms such as Ferrer’s. The possibility of four Octobers with Ferrer — who doesn’t walk batters, generates a ton of grounders and has some upside with his secondary pitches — meant the opportunity to net a significant return.

[Lintyfresh85]

What a steal by the Nats FO!

[imref]

ESPN: C+ for Seattle. A- for the Nats:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46994593/2025-26-mlb-offseason-grades-free-agency-trade-analysis

[imref]

Is nobody going to make a Ford vs Ferrar(i) joke?  JCA??

[JCA-CrystalCity]

What a steal by the Nats FO!

I read the Lookout Landing piece on the trade. If  you are an analytics person, then you like Ferrer a lot. The GB rate, suppresses walks, the velocity on  the sinker, etc... IF you think Ford is blocked by Raleigh  rather than somebody who can  keep Raleigh at full strength through rest, then maybe you say it's time to cash in the trade chit. However, if you are analytics guy, it feels like over-valuing a reliever and perhaps a bit desperate to fill a perceived need for a lefty in the bullpen. Ferrer could turn out to be great and Ford just a guy who was cashed in before people nitpick his flaws.

Any thoughts about his D?

[Lintyfresh85]

No clue! But I trust the new guy running things vetted him enough to know he can help the team either behind the plate or in OF.

[imref]

Reunited (and it feels so good...)

[Slateman]

So much for not getting any more Boras clients

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Ford was slated to rank sixth on the Mariners’ Top 10 Prospects list (and he will appear as such in the print edition). He is still only 22-years-old, so there’s further time for him to develop but he’s viewed as a below-average defender who needs to improve his framing. He has improved his blocking and he did show above-average pop times in Triple-A. As a hitter, Ford has always posted excellent on-base percentages. He does not chase pitches out of the strike zone and he has solid contact skills. While he can post above-average exit velocities, his swing is not geared for power. He struggles to pull the ball in the air. Ford has always run extremely well for a catcher, but he did slow down in 2025. He posted average to fringe-average run times.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/mariners-trade-harry-ford-to-nationals/

[imref]

Ceiling appears to be Realmuto

[zimm_da_kid]

some chatter that crochet is the equivalent.

Gore’s value will be a pleasant surprise

[raleighnat]

The guy seems to have the athleticism to stick behind the plate.  We need to unlock average defense and this is a dynamite acquisition

[imref]

https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87773/what-washington-nationals-fans-need-know-about-harry-ford

[imref]

The guy seems to have the athleticism to stick behind the plate.  We need to unlock average defense and this is a dynamite acquisition

Hopefully Ford handles the ball well, shows good acceleration on the base paths, and can brake hard when necessary. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87773/what-washington-nationals-fans-need-know-about-harry-ford

side notes in the article is, just like  the Nats pulled off  the first Tanner for Tanner deal in Roark for Rainey, it looks like this may be the first swap of saxophone players in MLB history. Second, this dude is supposed to be a quality person. That's nice.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Mlb.com overview. Interesting discussion of Mos thinking.

https://www.mlb.com/news/analyzing-trade-between-mariners-and-nationals.html
Camerato focusing on Nats:
https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-trade-jose-a-ferrer-for-mariners-catching-prospect-harry-ford

Notes Henry may be next in line to close

[varoadking]

Is this guy really a big improvement over Ruiz?  I mean, their MiLB hitting stats are relatively similar, and Ford has virtually no MLB AB's  What am I missing?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Better plate discipline. Takes a lot of walks. Very low swing rate on out of zone pitches while not being passive on strikes

[varoadking]

Better plate discipline. Takes a lot of walks. Very low swing rate on out of zone pitches while not being passive on strikes

OK...I guess we'll see how his MiLB approach translates to the Bigs.  Be nice not to have to deal with Ruiz on a daily basis...

[Smithian]

Is this guy really a big improvement over Ruiz?  I mean, their MiLB hitting stats are relatively similar, and Ford has virtually no MLB AB's  What am I missing?

He's a top 50 prospect. He's probably not a huge improvement over Ruiz in 2026, but barring a major Ruiz turn around, we know he isn't the answer. Ford may be the answer.

I'm actually hoping Ruiz has some talent that can be unlocked by a new staff. Best case scenario is Ford shows talent, Ruiz rebounds, and we have a quality platoon versus just sadness.

[aspenbubba]

How quickly we forget Lomavita as we rush to the next big thing.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Fangraphs take, with the obvious pun in the headline:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/mariners-swap-a-ford-for-a-ferreri/

This is a trade that raises a few eyebrows. While Ford moved through the minor leagues slowly by modern standards, he’s been a consensus Top 100 prospect for nearly three years now. It’s a little jarring to see someone of that caliber dealt for a reliever, particularly one with pedestrian surface-level numbers and good but not sterling peripherals. My initial reaction was that Seattle sold low on Ford, though further review has changed my thinking a little. Let’s dive in.
...
Put everything together, and you can imagine why Seattle sees Ferrer as an impact reliever, the kind worth parting with a top prospect for. Sources from around the game like Ferrer as an upside play. He throws hard, he pounds the zone, he has three pitches that flash plus, and there’s a relatively straightforward adjustment that could unlock more. [edit - says it is use the slider more].With four years of team control left, he’s not even expensive. He lengthens the bullpen and gives the Mariners a left-handed weapon of a magnitude they didn’t have last season. There’s always risk in acquiring relief pitching, but this looks like a safe way to add 1-1.5 WAR to the bullpen, and with his skills, a nutty, sub-2.00 ERA season is not outside the realm of possibility.

The article discusses a lot about the offense we've noted. Great swing decisions, consistently above average production in the minors, but average bat speed and occasionally  vulnerable high in the zone. Seems to have improved on the latter last year. Calls his power average.

Ford’s defensive growth has mirrored his ascent through the minors. His framing has improved but is still fringy, and he may benefit from an ABS assist (though he was actually pretty bad at challenging pitches this season). He shines more in spots where his athleticism takes center stage. He’s quick on plays where the ball is tapped out in front of the plate, and he’s going to catch his share of baserunners. He has an above-average arm, his throwing accuracy has improved, and he caught nearly 25% of would-be-thieves in 2025. Early-career reports questioned whether he had too much trouble simply catching the ball, but his passed-ball figures have plummeted since 2023. I’m projecting an average defender, though again, there are evaluators who will take the under.

say average on both sides of the ball is a good catcher, not a star, in this environment. Upgrade over Ruiz / Adams even if he's short of that.

[imref]

How quickly we forget Lomavita as we rush to the next big thing.

Lomavita played just 9 games at AA last year and hit well there, as well as at A+. Assuming another good year in 2026 he could be ready for the majors at some point in 2027. Ford has the ability to play the OF and so you can still bring up Lomavita if he's earned the call.