Nationals Star Prospect Harry Ford Has Signature Moment in World Baseball Classic
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Two Washington Nationals are competing in this year's World Baseball Classic: Harry Ford for Team Great Britain and Matt Mervis for Team Israel.
Ford is no stranger to the bright lights of the international stage. In the 2023 tournament, he was just 20 years old, but still provided some head-turning moments that added to the allure of him as a prospect.
In Great Britian's opening game of the 2026 tourmament, they were trailing 1-0 against Team Mexico in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ford stepped to the plate and tied things up with one swing for an early signature moment.
WBC KING, HARRY FORD 👑 pic.twitter.com/JggaxMtONr
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 6, 2026
Unfortunately for Ford, that wasn't the catalyst for his team to rally and get the win, as they fell 8-2 to move them to last place in Pool B. There are probably very few Nationals fans who actually care about the game results of Team Great Britain. But they most likely are keeping a watchful eye on how Ford does in this international competition.
The youngster was acquired in a notable trade earlier this offseason, and he'll be competing for the starting catcher position on Opening Day. While not being in camp is normally a negative, the fact he has the opportunity to perform on this type of stage could force Washington's decision makers to make him the starter.
How Harry Ford Can Make His Case for Starting Job During WBC
One of the main questions surrounding Ford is his defense. While he has always been super athletic and there has been improvement with how he frames, blocks balls and holds runners, that has to be consistently on display during the WBC as Great Britain's backstop competing against big leaguers in Pool B.
But what is really going to earn Ford a starting spot is if he can swing the bat. The Nationals have been downright terrible from an offensive perspective at catcher over the years. And the addition of the star prospect was supposed to solve that for the long term and maybe even the short term.
How he performs for as long as Great Britain is in this tournament will be something to follow. He got off to a good start on Friday with that clutch home run to tie things up in the sixth, but he also finished the day going 2-for-3 with a walk drawn and zero strikeouts.
Ford has long been known for his ability to know his strike zone and pounce on mistakes, but there are concerns that his approach won't translate to the majors. He didn't seem to have any issues against Team Mexcio, though, as he ripped a line drive single and drew a walk off Chicago Cubs pitcher Javier Assad, homered off New York Mets farmhand Alex Carrillo and was robbed of a single up the middle against Colorado Rockies reliever Victor Vodnik by an incredible defensive play.
Great Britain and Ford will be back on the field against Team USA on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Tarik Skubal is the expected starter with a plethora of high-end arms set to throw behind him. So that game will be a major test for Ford, and it's one that could go a long way if he passes with flying colors.
Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai