With the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings set to begin Sunday in Orlando, the expectation across the sport is that a wave of trades and free-agent signings will dominate the week. As rumors continued to swirl around Nationals rookie President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni’s offseason plans (especially regarding his openness to dealing ace MacKenzie Gore and star shortstop CJ Abrams), most of the attention on Washington centered on its biggest names. Instead, Toboni got the fun started early, sending left-handed closer José A. Ferrer to Seattle in exchange for top catching prospect Harry Ford and right-hander Isaac Lyon.
Ferrer, who signed with Washington in July 2017, debuted in 2023 and struggled before posting a strong 2024 season. He appeared to regress again early in 2025, but finished the year well after taking over the closer's role following Kyle Finnegan’s July trade. Across 142.1 career innings, Ferrer owns a 4.36 ERA, while ranking in the 94th percentile in fastball velocity and the 99th percentile in ground-ball rate. With team control through 2030, he quietly profiled as an appealing bullpen addition for any contender seeking late-inning help.
That’s where Seattle entered the picture. The Mariners, who already roster AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh who is fresh off a 60-homer campaign, found themselves in an uncomfortable roster situation. Harry Ford, MLB Pipeline’s No. 42 overall prospect, hit .266 with 52 minor-league homers, including 16 in 2025 when he posted a .283 average in Triple-A. But with Raleigh playing all but three games this past season, Ford’s path to playing time was essentially blocked. Industry-wide, he was viewed as one of the top trade candidates of the winter because his value was too high to waste behind an unbelievable All-Star.
For the Nationals, Ford was close to a perfect fit. Washington’s catching situation grew even more uncertain than it already was after Keibert Ruiz landed on the concussion IL on July 5 and never returned. Between that and his inconsistent performance prior to the injury, his long-term outlook is unclear, leaving the organization needing a controllable catcher with upside. Ford could provide exactly that.
Joining Ford in Washington is Class-A right-hander Isaac Lyon. The 21-year-old, drafted in the 10th round in 2025, threw just 12.1 innings in his pro debut, posting a 7.30 ERA. It was a small sample, but one that gives Toboni’s revamped player-development group a fresh arm to mold over a full season.
Overall, Toboni’s first trade as the head of the Nationals’ front office has tons of upside with relatively limited risk. Ferrer was a valuable piece for Washington, and fans should continue to root for him. But if Ford becomes the player many evaluators believe he can be, his long-term impact could far exceed the cost. Lyon adds additional developmental upside, and while prospects are never guaranteed, the Nationals did not part with an overwhelming amount of present value to secure a potential franchise catcher.