Harry Ford is not your typical catcher. He has rare athleticism behind the plate, with plus speed and an advanced approach that gives him a high offensive ceiling.
MLB’s No. 28 prospect put that well-rounded profile on display on Sunday with four hits — the sixth such game of his pro career — and a stolen base in Double-A Arkansas’s 6-2 loss to Northwest Arkansas at Dickey-Stephens Park.
Ford was patient at the plate — seeing 18 pitches across four plate appearances — until he found what he liked in the bottom third of the zone. He lined three singles to left and drove an RBI triple (his second three-bagger in as many days) over the center fielder’s head.
The Mariners’ second-ranked prospect has continued to provide pop atop the Travelers order, and he hit leadoff for the eighth time this season and sixth time in the past eight games. For some context, out of the 1,406 MLB starting lineups set in 2024, only six featured a catcher leading off (all Milwaukee’s William Contreras).
“[He’s] super unique,” Arkansas manager Christian Colon said. “For his profile, you gotta go back all the way to the 1930s or something to look at a guy that can do things like that, his profile, what he does, how athletic he is, how he runs. It’s pretty impressive. We’re just happy he’s in our organization.”
Ford has been putting together an excellent campaign despite being just 21, more than three years younger than the average player on the circuit. He ranks fourth in the Texas League in on-base percentage (.415) and seventh in OPS (.873).
