Oct 4, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Harry Ford (5) looks on before game one of the ALDS round against the Detroit Tigers for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Mariners GM Makes Depth Chart Admission After Controversial Trade

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Dec 10, 2025 10:37 AM ET

Heading into the offseason, catcher Harry Ford was seen by many as an appealing trade chip for the Seattle Mariners. He got traded, alright, but not necessarily for the return those folks anticipated.

On Saturday, Ford and unranked pitching prospect Isaac Lyon were shipped to the Washington Nationals for lefty reliever Jose A. Ferrer. The latter seemed to fit the bill for the Mariners' bullpen needs, but it was surprising to see a top-ranked catching prospect moved for a return that doesn't project to add more than one or two WAR to the Mariners' roster for the upcoming season.

If the Mariners properly assessed the market for Ford and took the best deal they could find, it's not as though too many complaints are in order. After all, starting catcher Cal Raleigh wasn't going anywhere. However, the Mariners know moving Ford left them with a new agenda item.

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Mariners know backup catcher is needed

As Mariners general manager Justin Hollander acknowledged on Tuesday at the winter meetings, Seattle has to be on the lookout now for a backup catcher to complement Raleigh now that the rookie Ford has been traded and 2025 backup Mitch Garver remains a free agent.

“We’ll probably have to add multiple catchers to the organization,” Hollander said, per Adam Jude and Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. “That’s a challenge. We knew it’s a challenge. We didn’t go into it eyes closed that we would need to do this if we made that trade.”

Fortunately, the Mariners have the best catcher on the planet at this moment in time, and he's accustomed to a heavy workload. But a lot of teams are trying to institute a more even timeshare behind the plate because of the physical demands of the position.

It's highly unlikely the Mariners would go after three-time All-Star J.T. Realmuto, the consensus top catcher on the market, so some of their other options could be Danny Jansen, Victor Caratini, or even former Texas Rangers All-Star Jonah Heim.

More MLB: Mariners, 3-Time All-Star Slugger Linked With Trade Market 'Heating Up'

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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