Harry Ford 'Ready to Go' With Nationals After He Was Shocked Mariners Traded Him
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The dust is starting to settle on the first trade of the Paul Toboni era for the Washington Nationals.
After the team entered the offseason knowing they had a major weakness in their bullpen, the new president of baseball operations created even more question marks in that unit by shipping Jose A. Ferrer to the Seattle Mariners.
The rising star reliever was seen as someone who could potentially take over as the team's closer in 2026. Following the trade deadline when Kyle Finnegan was dealt to the Detroit Tigers, Ferrer got opportunities in that role and excelled.
However, for as talented as Ferrer is, there aren't a lot of Nationals fans too torn up to see him leave because of what Toboni got in return by netting star catching prospect Harry Ford as the headliner. The 22-year-old immediately changes the outlook of Washington's catcher position, and that could come as soon as next season.
Harry Ford Admits He Was Shocked by Trade
An aspect of any trade that fans often forget about is the human element. Ford was drafted by the Mariners in 2021. He was seen as someone who could become the catcher of their future. And after making it to the bigs this year for his MLB debut, it seemed like he had finally arrived in The Show.
Because of that, it should come as no surprise that he was shocked to get traded. While that's the business side of things players often find out about later in their careers, the youngster is also ready to turn the page to his next chapter.
"I truly believed God had a plan for me playing for the Mariners, that I was there to stay. I was loyal to that until the end. But I'm really happy to be here with the Nats and really happy to get this opportunity. It was shocking, but I'm ready to go with this team as well," Ford said, per Mark Zuckerman of MASN.
oh just CONSENSUS TOP 100 MLB PROSPECT HARRY FORD pic.twitter.com/j2DzwlomT4
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) December 6, 2025
Now, Ford looks like he'll be part of the next nucleus of this franchise. And it's something he's looking forward to since he already has connections with multiple players on the Nationals.
"I know these guys," he said in reference to players like James Wood, Brady House, Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews, whom he has competed with since high school. "I'm excited to get on a team with them, be on a young team and just start from scratch. I'm looking forward to building something."
Who else is part of that mix will be interesting to see. Trade rumors continue to heat up surrounding MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams, and there's now an expectation that both could be moved this offseason to get back pieces for the future.
But now that Ford is in the mix in Washington, they appear to have solved one of their biggest issues heading into next year and beyond.
