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Tacoma's Baseball Standout: Harry Ford Shines Consistently for Mariners

Young hitter Harry Ford, a prominent prospect for the Mariners and one of the league's youngest players in the Pacific Coast League, has demonstrated exceptional base-hitting skills this season.

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Young catcher Harry Ford, a significant prospect for the Mariners and one of the league's youngest...
Young catcher Harry Ford, a significant prospect for the Mariners and one of the league's youngest hitters in the Pacific Coast League, has shown an exceptional knack for getting on base this season.

Tacoma's Baseball Standout: Harry Ford Shines Consistently for Mariners

Seattle Mariners Catcher Cal Raleigh Shines in Offensive Surge

In our Sunday sports analysis, we delve into the Mariners' performance and review the week's key trends, as well as ranking the top teams around the league.

The Mariners' offensive prowess on the road has been a standout feature, with a third-best wRC+ of 119 in away games. The Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) metric evaluates overall hitting production, adjusted for park effects, with 100 representing the league average. Through 26 road contests leading up to Saturday, the Mariners displayed impressive numbers: a batting average of .256, an on-base percentage of .346, a slugging percentage of .418 (.764 OPS), and a 105 wRC+ that ranks them 18th at home.

However, the Mariners have struggled at T-Mobile Park, where they are slashing .212/.299/.373 (.673 OPS) and showcasing a 105 wRC+ that ranks 18th. The park is the most difficult hitting environment in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Raleigh, the Mariners' catcher, has been a driving force for the team, delivering an impressive 3.0 FanGraphs wins above replacement (fWAR) through his first 50 games. This places him third among all MLB players, behind New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong.

In May, Raleigh has continued his hot streak, with seven homers, 17 RBI, and a slash line of .303/.427/.682 (1.109 OPS) in 82 plate appearances across 19 games. The impressive numbers have him on pace for a 9-plus WAR season, which, according to FanGraphs metrics, is a feat accomplished by only three catchers in MLB history: Buster Posey, Johnny Bench, and Mike Piazza. Posey and Bench won NL MVP awards in the seasons they achieved this feat, while Piazza finished second.

Meanwhile, shortstop Jorge Polanco has cooled down considerably after a strong April, posting a .167/.250/.259 line (.509 OPS) in 60 plate appearances, with one homer, two doubles, five walks, and 10 strikeouts.

Another prospect to watch is Tacoma Rainiers catcher Harry Ford, a young player on the Mariners' radar. Despite being one of the youngest hitters in the Pacific Coast League, he has amassed more walks (29) than strikeouts (27) through 151 plate appearances. This has earned him a spot among the top seven walk rates and a .430 on-base percentage among all Triple-A hitters. He is hitting .292/.430/.417 (.847 OPS) for the Rainiers with a 132 wRC+.

Former Mariner Sam Haggerty has found his stride with the Texas Rangers, taking over as their regular center fielder. He is currently hitting .290 with an .829 OPS in his first 32 plate appearances, including a home run into the second deck at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. After suffering a torn Achilles while playing with the Rainiers in May 2024, which ended his season, the Mariners non-tendered Haggerty last fall. He signed a minor league deal with the Rangers in February and was called up when the Rangers moved on from their longtime center fielder, Leody Taveras, whom the Mariners claimed on waivers.

Lastly, a look at the power rankings reveals a shift in positions among top MLB teams. The Dodgers and Tigers remain at the top, while the Yankees and Cubs have moved up, and the Mets have dropped due to a more expensive contract for Juan Soto. The Padres, despite a six-game losing streak, remain competitive, sitting just three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. Seattle native Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks is showing promising numbers, with 15 homers, 34 RBI, and a .945 OPS in his first 50 games.

This week, the Dodgers released longtime utility player Chris Taylor, a former Mariners first-round pick, making a return to Seattle an unlikely prospect. With his designed walk rate, Tacoma Rainiers catcher Harry Ford is making a name for himself as an on-base machine, ranking among the league leaders in walks and on-base percentage.

  1. In the analysis of Seattle sports, the Mariners' solid performance on the road has been highlighted, with Cal Raleigh providing a considerable offensive boost, earning him a 3.0 FanGraphs wins above replacement (fWAR) in his first 50 games.
  2. Raleigh, the catcher, has been a standout performer for the Mariners, hitting .303/.427/.682 (1.109 OPS) in May with seven home runs and 17 RBI, putting him on pace for a potential 9-plus WAR season.
  3. Meanwhile, the struggle for the Mariners has been evident at T-Mobile Park, ranking 18th in wRC+, making it the most difficult hitting environment in the Major League Baseball (MLB).
  4. Another prospect to watch is Harry Ford, a young catcher for the Tacoma Rainiers, who has displayed impressive control at the plate, earning a top seven walk rate and a .430 on-base percentage among all Triple-A hitters.

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