Why Mariners Cut Ties With Top Prospect Harry Ford, Per Insider

The Seattle Mariners' trade with the Washington Nationals on Saturday drew stronger reactions than a typical deal to acquire a relief pitcher.

To land Jose A. Ferrer from the Nationals, Seattle shipped out 22-year-old catcher Harry Ford, who was the No. 4 prospect in the organization and No. 42 in all of Major League Baseball, per MLB Pipeline. Seattle effectively tested the limits of the theory that what feels like an overpay in the moment doesn't usually end up feeling like one in hindsight.

On Monday, insider Adam Jude provided more context to why the Mariners were willing to move on from Ford, who was as blocked as any prospect in baseball behind superstar catcher Cal Raleigh in Seattle, for a pitcher they believe can be the missing ingredient in their bullpen.

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First, Jude acknowledged that many Mariners fans were puzzled by the deal, but made sure to hype up Ferrer as a breakout candidate based on his 100-mph heat and great extension.

"To the average M’s fan, a prospect of Ford’s pedigree — a former first-round pick consistently ranked among the baseball’s Top 50 talents — probably should have netted more than little-known relief pitcher like Jose Ferrer from the Washington Nationals," Jude wrote.

"Spend just a few moments perusing Ferrer’s profile, though, and you’ll discover this realization: This has a chance to be a big win for the Mariners."

However, Ferrer is still just a reliever; even if he becomes a very good one, there's a cap on his value. That meant Ford's trade value had to be significantly lower than many believed, and Jude explained why with the help of a rival evaluator.

"(Ford) has a chance to be productive major-league player, and the Nationals will presumably give him something the Mariners couldn’t — a chance to be an everyday catcher," wrote Ford. "Industry-wide, though, questions about Ford’s defense began to arise over the past year, and some have wondered whether he will stick behind the plate.

“His athleticism just hasn’t translated behind the plate,' said one National League scout who has evaluated Ford closely."

Every trade has the potential to backfire, but now, we have a sense of why the Mariners don't believe that will be the case in this instance.

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