Mariners urged to make an obvious prospect promotion to help with playoff push

The Seattle Mariners are in the thick of contention, and at this point, it’s becoming impossible to justify keeping Harry Ford in Triple-A. The organization has carefully nurtured him through the system, but there’s no more growth left for him at Tacoma, as he looks to have put everything together and is ready for the big leagues.

The question isn’t if he should come up, but why he hasn’t already. And with Mitch Garver posting a measly .208/.304/.343 slash line with just eight home runs and an 89 wRC+, the bar to clear at backup catcher is hardly sky-high.

That Ford is a candidate to get called to the Mariners has been obvious for a while now. It is still notable, however, that Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com tabbed him as the club's best option for a late-season cup of coffee in the big leagues.

Harry Ford has MLB Pipeline's endorsement for a promotion

Ford isn’t just a prospect anymore; he’s an injection of energy that this lineup desperately needs. He’s athletic, disciplined at the plate, and offers a far more dynamic offensive profile than Garver has shown. Where Garver offers only power (and his eight home runs might refute that statement), Ford offers an excellent ability to get on base, developing power, and a surprising ability to steal bases (35 in 116 games last year).

The Mariners don’t need him to be an All-Star right away, they just need him to be competent with the bat, bring some juice on the bases, and provide the kind of floor and spark that makes a stagnant roster wake up. Seattle’s offense has been too inconsistent to ignore such an obvious internal solution.

There’s also the reality that Ford’s development is only being stunted by further Triple-A at-bats. He’s already proven he can handle the pitching at that level. Keeping him down while Garver continues to flounder in a major league role is not only wasting Ford’s potential, but also handicapping the team. Good organizations recognize when a young player has nothing left to prove in the minors. The Mariners need to trust their process and let him grow where it matters most: in the majors.

At worst, Ford splits time with Garver, getting steady reps at catcher while adding some versatility as a bat off the bench. At best, he takes over the role entirely and gives Seattle an immediate upgrade, solidifying himself as the backup catcher for Cal Raleigh.

Either way, there’s no downside to this move. If the Mariners are serious about competing, promoting Harry Ford is the kind of bold but necessary decision that separates contenders from pretenders.