What exactly are the Nationals getting in Harry Ford?

More in-depth details of the whole trade are covered in an article written by Bennett Lehmann.

With our very own Nationals pulling off a trade to bring Top 100 prospect catching prospect Harry Ford to our nation's capital, let's take a deeper dive into what he brings moving forward. 

The brightest lights Ford has shone under so far in his young career were during the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), where he put on a show that gave the baseball world a preview of what is to come. The flashes of potential were imminent, playing as the starting catcher and batting cleanup for Great Britain, Ford did more than hold his own.

Batting .308 with two home runs in the four games of the main tournament.  His home run against Colombia helped lift Great Britain over Colombia for the country's first-ever WBC win, showing that, despite being one of the youngest players in the tournament and facing some of the best pitching in the world, he could still hit.

Ford is built for the big moments already, and while the Nats may not be vying for the biggest postseason games of the year right away, some of the biggest stars in franchise history have that clutch gene that can't be taught. 

With catching being one of the biggest, glaring needs for this young Nationals team, the future behind the plate now looks much brighter. Ford a consensus Top 100 prospect (ranked as high as No. 42 by MLB Pipeline), is a true power-hitting catcher with a very athletic profile. He will now join the likes of guys like Eli Willits atop the team's farm system.

Ford's power is graded at an above-average 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Last season in Triple-A Tacoma, this was put on full display as he set new career bests with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs in only 97 games.

The plate discipline that Ford has is a huge part of what makes him incredibly highly touted. Finishing his Triple-A campaign with a stellar .408 OBP and with a career minor league OBP over .400, his approach is further evidenced by the fact that he led the High-A Northwest League in 2023 with 103 walks. Obvious maturity at the plate as a prospect and at a young age is a rarity and shows he is ready to be given a chance with Major League pitching. 

Beyond the bat, what makes Ford a very unique prospect is his defensive metrics, driven by his exceptional athleticism. He possesses a 60-grade run tool, making him one of the fastest catchers in all of baseball. The speed isn't just for show either, as he swiped 35 bases last season, giving him true 20-20 power and speed potential, an absolute unicorn in the catching realm.

With his actual catching still being refined, his agility and strong arm give a very high ceiling for the Nationals to inject a premium, high-impact talent right into the heart of their lineup. 

Ford already got a brief taste of the big leagues with the Mariners last September, where he appeared in eight games and went 1-for-6, notching his first MLB hit and driving in a memorable walk-off sacrifice fly. Now, he's poised to turn that limited audition into a long-term role in the nation's capital.