“He’s Super Unique” | Seattle Mariners Catcher Harry Ford Is On A Fast Track To Majors

“He’s Super Unique” | Seattle Mariners Catcher Harry Ford Is On A Fast Track To Majors

by | May 30, 2024 | THE THREE SPOT

When the Seattle Mariners drafted catcher Harry Ford with the No.12 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, they projected him as a cornerstone of their future.

 

Harry Ford Is A Rare Talent

 

But what they didn’t envision was Ford being the club’s future leadoff hitter. Blessed with rare athleticism, elite speed and an advanced approach at the plate not seen by most minor leaguers, Ford’s got it all.

 

The fact that he’s a Black catcher — a position as foreign to MLBbros these days as a fish fry with no tartar sauce — just makes his journey more attractive to baseball historians and fans alike.

 

Currently MLB’s No.28 prospect, Ford has flashed his dynamic skill set at the High-A level last season with the Everett Aquasox Baseball Club. There he batted a respectable .257 with 15 home runs, 67 RBI. He displayed a knack for the extra-base hit racking up 24 doubles. Ford’s play last season led to him being bumped up to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers to begin the 2024 season. The move up the ranks hasn’t slowed Ford’s production one bit, as he still swinging a great bat and flashing his skill behind the dish.

 

“Harry Is A Unique Five-Tool Player Since He Is A Catcher” | Seattle Mariners Hyped About 2021 Top Pick Harry Ford

 

A Black Catcher, and He’s A Leadoff Hitter?

 

Not often are catchers at the top of the order, but not all catchers are Harry Ford. He reminds us of a young Craig Biggio, who was a catcher with rare speed and agility before carving out a Hall of Fame career as a second baseman. The Atlanta native is currently performing at a high level in the leadoff spot for the Travelers.

 

Last week Ford had back-to-back games with a three-run homer where his patience at the plate and ability to spray the baseball to all areas of the field were on full display.

 

 

Ford leading off at the major league level is definitely in play and would be rare. This season alone only six lineups in all of MLB have had a catcher leadoff. That’s out of 1,406 lineups, and all have been by former Milwaukee Brewers All-Star William Contreras.

 

Travelers manager Christian Colon, speaks highly of Ford and believes he’s a throwback. He told reporters this about Ford after his recent big days at the plate.

 

“He’s super unique. For his profile, you gotta go back all the way to the 1930s or something to look at a guy that can do thing like that, his profile, what he does, how athletic he is, how he runs. It’s pretty impressive. We’re just happy he’s in our organization.”

 

Seattle Mariners Top Prospect Harry Ford Has It All | He’s A Tremendous MLBbro Catcher With Elite Leadership Qualities

 

Harry Ford Been On A Tear After Slow Start

 

Ford’s jump to Double-A to begin the season wasn’t easy, as the future Mariners catcher struggled mightily. Ford’s slash line through his first 12 games of .109/.268/.174 was hard to look at. He didn’t even record a hit until his fifth game, but that didn’t deter him at all. Since then, he’s been hot as fish grease at the plate, boasting a slash line of .353/.491/.588.

 

That includes a 12-game hitting streak and eight multi-hit games.

 

With the jump from High-A pitching to Double-A pitching long considered to be the toughest jump, after an expected tough start, Ford seems to be handling it pretty well. One of the more impressive characteristics of Ford’s game is his plate discipline, which is something he struggled with early on in his career. That’s changed and he now has the second-most walks (29) in the Texas League, that’s in addition to just 32 strikeouts.

 

While Ford’s expected to be called up in 2025, if he continues to play at this level that could happen sometime in September of this season.

“His Best Skill Is To Hit The Ball Hard And Hit The Ball Often | Michigan Outfielder Clark Elliott Has A Major League Bat

“His Best Skill Is To Hit The Ball Hard And Hit The Ball Often | Michigan Outfielder Clark Elliott Has A Major League Bat

by | Jul 5, 2022 | THE THREE SPOT

Michigan Wolverines outfielder Clark Elliott burst onto the scene in 2020, one of the new, Black faces of college baseball playing for a Big Ten power team that had just made it to the College World Series final against the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2019. 

Michigan opened the 2020 season against Vanderbilt and Elliott was given his opportunity to shine on a big stage and he didn’t disappoint.

Trailing 3-2 in the eighth inning, Elliott battled back from down in the count to get a huge single, against Vandy’s nearly unhittable closer Tyler Brown. The next batter hit a game-winning two-run homer, and the story of Clark Elliott began.

Elliott’s head coach Erik Baluch knew he had something special in this player and recalls Clark’s memorable first hit fondly.

 “For him to extend the inning like that and not be a typical freshman and try and yank it or swing and miss because he is over swinging. Just to stay neutral and stay in the middle and just take what the elite pitcher on the mound was giving him, and hit a line drive the other way. I just thought to myself, “Yeah that kid is gonna be a special hitter.”

  

 

 That moment was the beginning of Elliott becoming a formidable hitter and rising MLB prospect.

 Elliott Is The 64th Ranked Prospect

Baluch’s prediction was spot on and over the next few seasons Elliott played himself into the top 75 MLB prospects for the 2022 MLB Draft which takes place July 17-19. Currently, the 64th-ranked prospect, it’s his combination of speed and power that excites MLB franchises.

 Bakich believes that is what sets him apart as a hitter, his bat velocity and power.

 “He’s a combination of speed and power. His best skill is just the ability to hit the ball hard and hit the ball often. He is a proven hitter, he’s done it in the Big Ten, he’s done it in the Cape Cod League. As a prospect there’s not a whole lot of guess work with him. He has proved himself at the collegiate level. It is very easy to look at a kid like that and to think he could move quickly through an (MLB) organization and hit his way to the big leagues.”

 

 Elliott Made All Big Ten

Elliott was dynamite in his junior season. He led the Wolverines in batting average (.346), runs (61), extra-base hits (29), home runs (12), RBIs (58), OPS (1.078), and walks (43). Elliott also ranked second in stolen bases with (15).

Now Elliott will likely hear his name called early in the three-day draft festivities schedule for the middle of the month. Whatever team lands this elite talent is getting a quality young man first of all, but also one who loves the game of baseball.

 

 

There are many teams that would love to draft a quality hitting prospect like Elliott, and he is certainly a future MLBbro.