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ORLANDO, Fla. – As he officially completed his first trade as Nationals president of baseball operations Saturday, Paul Toboni didn’t pause to consider the significance of that moment for him. Not that trading Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners for two young players, including top catching prospect Harry Ford, wasn’t a big deal. But in his mind, it was merely the final step in a process he believed made sense for his club.
Besides, Toboni had a more pressing matter to deal with in his backyard.
“This is going to be a little anticlimactic, I think, because it was,” he said. “Maybe it’s the amateur scouting background, but I think I’m just used to making those decisions and moving on. So, we made the decision, and I kept throwing Wiffle balls to my kid and had a conversation with Harry, talked to Jose.
“I think part of the reason why I had that reaction was because there was so much work done ahead of time. And that makes you feel really comfortable when it does get done like that. This is what we had planned out for weeks. If we are going to make a trade here, this is what we want. All that thought kind of had been done beforehand.”
On the flip side of those conversations were three players who weren’t expecting the news they received. Ford, in particular, took it hard.
“I truly believed God had a plan for me playing for the Mariners, that I was there to stay,” said the 22-year-old catcher, who was drafted by Seattle in 2021. “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.”
Speaking with reporters on Zoom from Oxford, England, where his father lives, Ford said he has since come to grips with the trade and is now excited to be part of a young core that includes a number of players he has competed with since he was in high school, including James Wood, Brady House, Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews and Nasim Nuñez.
“I know these guys,” he said. “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.”
Though he got a chance to be around the Mariners during their dramatic run to the precipice of the World Series in October, Ford was decidedly blocked in that organization, with MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh having already signed a nine-figure extension to be the club’s catcher for years to come.
In D.C., Ford will be given an opportunity to compete immediately with Keibert Ruiz and Riley Adams for playing time. Toboni described that situation as an open competition, noting that Ruiz (who missed the second half of the 2025 season with lingering concussion issues) is fully healthy again. He added that Ford will be viewed for now strictly as a catcher, putting to rest previous thoughts he could switch positions.
“I mentioned to them that we’re going to create a really competitive environment here, and we’re going to roll forward with the guys that are going to help us the most,” said Toboni, who has already spoken to all three players. “The great thing about our catching group – and I think I fold Harry right into that – is they run toward that challenge. I don’t think they shy away from it, which is great. … I think we’ve got a fun group that’s got developmental runway in front of them, which is exciting for us.”
Toboni said he wasn’t necessarily shopping Ferrer around, knowing the hard-throwing, 25-year-old lefty was the closest thing the Nationals had to an experienced big league reliever. But he also knew Seattle was in the market for an late-inning arm like that, and he knew Ford was a highly intriguing player who might be available because of Raleigh’s established presence.
“It wasn’t like we were sitting there looking to trade Jose,” he said. “At the same time, when we were presented with this opportunity, it was like: ‘OK, this is something we should pretty strongly consider.’”
Ferrer’s departure does leave a gaping hole in a Nationals bullpen that already was short on proven arms. Among the returning relievers on the 40-man roster, Cole Henry and Clayton Beeter would probably get the first opportunity to pitch the ninth inning if the 2026 season began today.
Fortunately, it doesn’t, and Toboni figures to be in the market for several more relievers before everyone reports for spring training. He does acknowledge it won’t be easy to replace Ferrer, who wouldn’t have been eligible for free agency until after the 2029 season.
“Candidly, I’m not sure we’re going to be able to do it,” he said. “I think he’s one of the most underrated, not just relief pitchers, but pitchers in the league. I am fully expecting us to look up next October and be watching him pitch a ton a high-leverage innings with the Mariners, helping them in a playoff push. And he deserves it. He’s worked his tail off for us.”
The 12th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Kennesaw, Ga., Ford spent one season apiece at each of the Mariners’ minor league affiliates since, including Triple-A Tacoma in 2025 (with a brief call-up to the majors in September to back up both Raleigh and Mitch Garver). Along the way, he has established himself as a patient hitter who owns an elite .405 career on-base percentage, enough power to slug .428 and the surprising speed to have surpassed the 20-steals mark in three consecutive seasons.
The right-handed hitter takes pride in his plate discipline, prioritizing that over all else while still having the ability to hit the ball over the fence in the right situations.
“I have moments where I take my chances, and I’m going to put a big swing on a 2-0 pitch here and there,” he said. “But I’m honestly just a gap-to-gap, line-drive hitter. I attribute the walks to me being able to wait late, because I’ve got really fast hands, so I can see the ball longer. I just find ways to get on base. That’s what I do.”
Ford has become a fairly well known prospect within baseball, and not simply for his play in the minor leagues. He made a name for himself on a grander stage in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, hitting two homers while batting .308 in four games for a Great Britain squad that surprisingly upset Colombia in pool play. He intends to play again this spring for his adopted home country, where both of his parents were born.
“It was really cool getting to be with the first Great Britain team to make the WBC and win a game,” he said. “I am planning on it, so lord willing I get to play again this year. It’s definitely a really cool experience.”
