Harry

Ford

The homer was a 418-foot shot off Jared Koenig. Ford probably isn’t helping his chances of making the Nationals by taking part in his second World Baseball Classic, but barring quite the upset by Great Britain in Pool B, he could be back with the team in a week. He could wind up Triple-A for a spell to start the year while the Nationals decide what they’re doing with Keibert Ruiz.

One imagines there’s some pressure on the newly acquired Ford to be in Nationals camp gaining reps with all of the team’s pitchers, but at least Great Britain probably isn’t in for a lengthy WBC run. It still might lessen his chances of breaking camp with the Nationals, though giving Keibert Ruiz one last chance as a starter is probably the team’s plan anyway.

The 22-year-old backstop was the 12th overall pick from the 2021 draft. Ford spent most of the 2025 season at Triple-A Tacoma where he slashed a healthy .283/.408/.460 with 16 homers, 74 RBI and seven stolen bases in 458 plate appearances. With the struggles of Keibert Ruiz and the rest of the Nationals’ catching depth being unsettled, the door is open for Ford to seize a significant role on the club’s Opening Day roster, which could lead to fantasy relevance.

With the bases loaded and no one out in the 12th, the Mariners had no choice but to turn to Ford, and he rewarded with them with a flyball just deep enough to score Jorge Polanco. Ford has significant fantasy upside, but he’s not going to get enough playing time in 2025 to have relevancy in fantasy.

Ford, the 12th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, will make his major-league debut after hitting .283/.408/.460 with 16 homers and seven steals for Tacoma. He possesses incredible athleticism and stolen base prowess for a catcher, which gives him immediate fantasy relevance. After seeing a little time in the outfield last year, he was exclusively a catcher this season. He probably won’t be a full-timer for the Mariners, but he could see some action between DH and catcher in tandem with Cal Raleigh, at least when Jorge Polanco is starting in the infield. Mitch Garver is surely in line for less playing time.

Clark and fellow Tigers top prospects Kevin McGonigle and Josue Briceño, who were all promoted earlier this month to Double-A Erie, anchor a junior circuit lineup that is jam-packed with intriguing talents. McGonigle might be the top pure hitter in the minor leagues and has cemented his status as a legitimate top-five prospect for dynasty purposes thanks to his blend of elite plate skills and consistent hard contact. The rest of the lineup features fellow elite shortstop prospect Sebastian Walcott in addition to fascinating slugger Jhostunxon Garcia, also known as The Password. Here’s the full lineup: Clark (CF), Braden Montgomery (LF), C.J. Kayfus (1B), Garcia (RF), Harry Ford (C), Briceño (DH), Walcott (3B), McGonigle (SS), Lombard Jr. (2B) and Parker Messick (P).

Ford is a high-upside catching prospect, but he has no home in Seattle right now with Cal Raleigh recently signed to an extension, so it makes sense that the Mariners may consider dealing Ford. The 22-year-old is slashing .308/.425/.470 in 66 games at Triple-A with nine home runs, 49 RBI, and four steals. The Mariners are in the market for a corner infield bat, and Ford could net them a big return.

The ball seemed to hit just inside his face mask and caught Garver flush on the chin/jaw area. He’ll undergo additional imaging on Thursday, the results of which aren’t expected to be known until Friday. Harry Ford was subsequently scratched from his game at Triple-A Tacoma on Friday and would be an option to join the M’s on Friday if Garver is forced to land on the injured list.

Ford is now hitting .292 with an .851 OPS, two home runs, and 12 RBI on the season. There is no spot for the 22-year-old in Seattle, but it’s nice to see him begin to find his power stroke a bit.

Ford has gotten off to a strong start at Triple-A on the heels of an impressive spring training performance in Mariners camp. The 22-year-old backstop’s speed and athleticism are extremely rare for a catcher and give him a shot at being one of the more unique talents in the fantasy landscape once he arrives. He’s a name to monitor in deeper mixed leagues on the chance that he gets a shot later this year with Seattle in a backup role.