Athleticism Helps Mariners’ Harry Ford Adapt Quickly
Harry Ford is one of the more unique prospects in baseball.
The 21-year-old catcher possesses an exceptionally rare level of speed and athleticism for a backstop, along with a strong overall hitting profile and an above-average arm.
But during an impressive first two full seasons at Low-A Modesto and High-A Everett, it’s not just Ford’s on-field talent that has drawn lofty praise.
“His maturity over the last two years has been the thing that’s really stood out to me,” said Ryan Scott, who worked closely with Ford while coaching him in Modesto and managing him in Everett.
“The way he’s able to lead a pitcher-catcher meeting before a game, the way he goes about his work in the day to day, the way he prepares—all of that just speaks to the maturity that he’s shown.”
After starring for Great Britain in last spring’s World Baseball Classic, Ford hit .257/.410/.430 with 15 home runs and 24 stolen bases in 118 games at Everett last season. He was the only catcher in the minors with at least 15 homers and 15 steals.
Ford continued to show great plate discipline in Everett, leading the Northwest League in on-base percentage and drawing nearly as many walks as strikeouts.
“His swing decisions are as elite as you’re gonna get,” Scott said. “And we’ve seen that across a couple different levels now to where that just hasn’t changed.”
Behind the plate, Ford has a strong arm and quick release. He has worked hard to refine other aspects of his catching repertoire since his 2021 first-round selection out of a suburban Atlanta high school.
Scott pointed to receiving as a major area of growth.
“He’s so receptive to feedback and coaching that he just takes things in,” Scott said. “And then with the athleticism that he possesses, he can just implement things like you wouldn’t believe.”
Ford is expected to begin the season at Double-A Arkansas.
“The biggest thing going forward is just to not lose sight of who he is and not trying to be anybody else,” Scott said. “If he’s able to do that, he’s gonna be really good for a really long time.”
MARINADE
— The Mariners traded away a pair of prospects on Jan. 29, sending 20-year-old outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and 23-year-old righthander Darren Bowen to the Twins as part of a package for second baseman Jorge Polanco.
Gonzalez, who was one of Seattle’s top prospects, hit .348/.403/.530 with nine homers in 73 games at Low-A Modesto last season. But after a mid-July promotion, he batted just .216 in 43 games at High-A Everett.
Bowen made his pro debut at Modesto last year, logging a 3.88 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 25 walks in 55.2 innings.
— The Mariners dealt two more prospects on Feb. 3, sending 23-year-old righthander Prelander Berroa and 25-year-old outfielder Zach DeLoach to the White Sox as part of a trade for reliever Gregory Santos.
The hard-throwing Berroa excelled at Double-A Arkansas after moving to the bullpen early last season, posting a 1.69 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 20 walks in 42.2 innings of relief. He also made two relief appearances in the majors.
DeLoach, a 2020 second-round pick, hit .286/.387/.481 with 23 homers in 138 games at Triple-A Tacoma last year.
