Why Won't the Seattle Mariners Promote Harry Ford to Major League Roster?

He's now homered in back-to-back games, raising his average to .314. The number 63 prospect in the game, per MLB Pipeline, he's one of nine Top-100 prospects for the M's.

A first-round pick in 2021 out of the high school ranks, Ford has represented the Mariners at the Futures Game and has played for Great Britain at the World Baseball Classic. So, why won't the M's promote him?

Here's a few possible reasons:

Cal Raleigh

Simply put, Ford is blocked by the best catcher in the sport, and he will be for the foreseeable future since Raleigh signed a six-year contract before the season started. Raleigh has 26 home runs to lead baseball and also plays most days, leaving Ford very little opportunity to catch. Why call him up if he's not going to play every day, and if he's not going to catch? Of course, he could play DH, but the M's have other options there as well, with Luke Raley slated to come back soon.

Money

Mitch Garver has continued to struggle in Seattle since signing a two-year deal before the 2024 season. He's hitting only .200 with one homer this season. There's certainly a case to be made for cutting ties with Garver, but maybe the team doesn't want to since they invested $24 million in him before last season. Even though they barely owe him more than $6 million right now, perhaps that's just too much money to eat, especially for Ford to come here only to be a backup catcher.

Trade value

Harry Ford's best position is catcher. If he comes to Seattle and doesn't catch, then you've harmed his development and his trade value. If the Mariners are going to make a splash at the trade deadline, Ford is a guy who could be a part of the package to make it happen. Showcasing him at catcher is good for his value, and therefore good for the M's.

Even though we've laid out the arguments, there is still a chance that Ford comes up. After all, he's hit well enough (.313 average, eight homers, 27 RBIs), that he could just force their hand.

The Mariners will play the Guardians on Friday night at 6:40 p.m. PT.