Harry Ford did not live up to expectations in his first year with the Washington Nationals

Federal Baseball analyst Sam Sallick argues that catcher Harry Ford failed to meet expectations during his first season with the Washington Nationals in 2026. Acquired by President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni in exchange for Jose A. Ferrer, the 23-year-old failed to make the team out of spring training and struggled offensively in Triple-A before earning a midseason promotion following an injury to Drew Millas.

In the majors, Ford batted .190 with a .664 OPS, compensating for limited contact with a 14.4% walk rate. Sallick gave Ford a season grade of D+/D, concluding that while his elite plate discipline offers potential as a tandem catcher alongside Keibert Ruiz, Ford must address declining exit velocities and bat speed this offseason to become an everyday starter.