The national team announced today that catcher Harry Ford optioned to Triple-A Rochester while backstop for others Riley Adams sent back to minor league camp. That seems to set the scene Keibert Ruiz again Drew Mills to be the team involved in hosting games at the beginning of the season.
The Nats have an interesting mix of long-term catches. They acquired Ruiz from the Dodgers as part of a 2021 deal Max Scherzer again Trea Turner to the Dodgers. He and the club agreed to an extension through 2023, a deal that runs until 2030 and has club options for 2031 and 2032.
But since the start of 2024, he has poor defensive numbers and a .235/.266/.345 batting line. FanGraphs has him at 1.3 wins below replacement rate in that span. It was acquired and expanded by the former office empire. President of baseball Mike Rizzo was fired last year as the club’s rebuild failed to proceed as expected.
Paul Toboni was hired to replace Rizzo. One of the first important steps in his time was the relief trade Jose A. Ferrer for the Mariners, and Ford is the main returner. Ford is one of the league’s top contributors. Seattle drafted him 12th overall in 2021 and signed him to a $4.4MM bonus. With Raleigh locked in as a catcher in Seattle, it makes sense for the Mariners to place Ford in a trade. Presumably, the Nats hope that Ford is the main contributor in the long term.
Ford’s major league career streak is just eight games so far. He appeared in 97 games for Triple-A last year and posted a .283/.408/.460 line. Even in the friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League, that was 25% better than the league average, with a wRC+ rating. His defense was once considered questionable but he has improved enough that most scouts are expected to stick him at the plate for a long time.
Although Ford is still only 23 years old and inexperienced, the Nats could consider carrying him on the Opening Day roster because of the Prospect Promotion Incentive. He would have been eligible for PPI if the Nats had kept him on the active roster long enough to earn a full year of service time. He could have earned them an additional pick if he won Rookie of the Year or Most Valuable Player in his pre-arbitration seasons.
The Nats didn’t look at him for long during Spring Training, as Ford joined Great Britain’s team in the World Baseball Classic. He only appeared in seven Grapefruit League contests, with a hitless .214 /.353/.286 line in those.
For now, it looks like the Nats will have Ford getting regular reps in the minors. That will give Ruiz a chance to continue hitting in the big leagues. Despite his recent struggles, it’s not out of the question for Ruiz to get back on track. He is only 27 years old and has managed to become a league hitter as of last few years.
If that doesn’t work, then there may come a time when Ford pushes for a more regular role, which will see Ruiz relegated to being an overpaid backup. His contract isn’t too tight every year but he still has a way to go. He’ll make $5MM this year and next, followed by $7MM in 2028 and $9MM in the final two years. That means he is still guaranteed $35MM over the next five years. Club options are worth $12MM and $14MM, excluding buyouts.
The timing of Ford’s return to the majors will have an impact on his future earning potential. You currently have 28 days of service time. If he spends about six weeks or more at an optional job this year, he won’t be able to reach the one-year mark, which will push him on his way to free work for a year. It could also impact when he becomes eligible for arbitration, depending on where the Super Two lands in future seasons.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
