The Seattle Mariners have acquired left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer from the Washington Nationals in a three-player deal announced Saturday. In exchange, Seattle sent highly regarded catching prospect Harry Ford and minor league right-hander Isaac Lyon to Washington.
The trade comes on the eve of baseball’s winter meetings in Orlando, Florida, as the Mariners look to build on their 2025 success. Last season, Seattle won the AL West for the first time since 2001 and advanced to the American League Championship Series.
Ferrer adds another high-velocity arm to Seattle’s bullpen, joining veteran Gabe Speier and complementing closer Andres Munoz. The Dominican native posted a 4.48 ERA in 72 appearances this past season, striking out 71 batters while issuing 16 walks across 76⅓ innings. His fastball averaged 97.7 mph, and he induced ground balls on 64.3% of balls in play, ranking in the 99th percentile among MLB pitchers.
The 25-year-old was particularly effective against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .186 batting average and .521 OPS while striking out 26 of 110 lefties faced. He also set career highs with 11 saves and 21 holds. Ferrer remains under team control through the 2029 season and will not reach arbitration until 2027.
On the other side, the Mariners parted with Harry Ford, a 22-year-old first-round pick from 2021. Ford was ranked 42nd in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects and fourth in Seattle’s farm system. He spent most of the season with Triple-A Tacoma, where he slashed .283/.408/.460 with 16 home runs, 18 doubles, and 74 RBIs in 97 games.
Ford made his MLB debut in September, going 1-for-6 across eight appearances. He has a strong bat and excellent on-base skills, but All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh, who signed a six-year extension before the 2025 season, stands in his way at the major league level.
Coming off a 66-96 season and a last-place finish in the NL East, the Nationals gain a top catching prospect in Ford to improve a backstop group that ranked near the bottom of the league in offensive production. Washington catchers ranked 30th in fWAR, 29th in wRC+, and 29th in OPS in 2025, highlighting their need for reinforcement behind the plate.
Minor league right-hander Isaac Lyon, 21, also moves to the Nationals. Drafted by the Mariners in the 10th round out of Grand Canyon University, Lyon made four starts with Low-A Modesto, allowing 10 runs in 12⅓ innings for a 7.30 ERA. Lyon is the son of former major league pitcher Brandon Lyon and will continue to develop in Washington’s system.
https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/seattle-mariners/mariners-news-seattle-jose-ferrer-3-player-trade
