Seattle adds a flamethrower from the left side to complement it Andrés Munoz And Matt Brash in the back of the bullpen. The price is somewhat high, considering Ford ranks 42nd on MLB.com top 100 prospect rankings. Lyon was taken in the 10th round of the 2025 draft. He played a handful of games in Single-A this past season.
Ferrer then emerged as Washington’s closer Kyle Finnegan was shipped to Detroit at the trade deadline. He picked up 11 saves over the final two months of the season. The 25-year-old’s 21.9% strikeout rate and mid-4:00 ERA don’t scream that a shutdown is getting closer, but he had an excellent SIERA of 2.85 and an elite walk rate of 4.9% on the year. Ferrer put together a streak of 14 consecutive scoreless appearances shortly after taking over as closer, although he faltered in his last few appearances.
Ferrer has made 142 appearances in the Nationals’ bullpen since his debut in 2023. He has a career ERA of 4.36, but his xERA and xFIP are both under 3.50. Although he hasn’t racked up strikeouts, Ferrer’s mid-90s sinker has helped him rank among the top relievers in terms of groundball rate. Ferrer is under team control through 2029. He won’t reach arbitration until the 2027 campaign.
Ford has been a top 5 pick in Seattle’s system since being taken in the first round of the 2021 draft. The 12th overall pick finished fifth among the Mariners’ 2022 prospects, according to MLB.com. He reached the top spot in 2023 and recently entered fourth. Ford scored at every minor league stop while also contributing significantly as a base stealer.
The 22-year-old Ford slashed .283/.408/.460 with 16 home runs and seven steals at Triple-A last year. He struck out less than 20% of the time, while posting a massive 16.2% walk rate. Ford made his debut briefly with the major league club, primarily as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement. He went 1-for-6 in eight appearances.
The 16 home runs with Tacoma were a career high for Ford, although the seven steals were a disappointing total after swiping 35 bags at Double-A in 2024. Ford’s elite walk rate has allowed him to consistently put up huge on-base numbers. Aside from an OBP of .377 in 2024, he has been at or above .400 in every season of his minor league tenure. Ford’s power vision is more gap-to-gap than over-the-fence, but his combination of speed and fundamental skills give him a unique offensive profile, especially for a catcher.
Of Cal Raleigh A six-year extension before the 2025 campaign would block Ford in Seattle for the foreseeable future. He heads to Washington to join a catching group that struggled with injuries and production last season. Recurring concussion problems limited Keibert Ruiz to 68 games in 2025. He briefly returned to the team in early July, then immediately returned to the IL and never made a return to the big league team. Riley Adams provided the majority of the reps behind the plate, along with brief cameos from Drew Miles And Jorge Alfaro. Washington’s backstops rank 29th in OPS. Adams is back on a one-year split deal, while Alfaro is a free agent.
Lyon made four starts with Modesto last year. The 21-year-old right-hander will head to Fredericksburg to further hone his craft. Lyon is the son of a former pitcher Brandon Lyons.
Photo courtesy of Rafael Suanes, Imagn Images
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