Mariners’ latest 2025 draft pick should signal a Padres trade for top catching prospect

With the 35th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Seattle Mariners select... a catcher?!

The Mariners took Luke Stevenson out of the University of North Carolina, which is a head-scratcher to some fans. Harry Ford is their No. 5 prospect, so drafting Stevenson may have confirmed Ford's fate with the club.

This is a perfect opportunity for the San Diego Padres to swoop in and package a potential trade for Ford. We all know the Padres need the help behind the dish.

Padres should trade for Mariners top prospect Harry Ford

Currently, San Diego's catchers are Martin Maldonado and Elias Diaz. Two aging veterans, with one already confirmed to retire after the 2025 season, it's time for the Friars to nab a catcher on the market.

Ford is with Triple-A Tacoma this season, batting .292 with an .855 OPS across 69 games. A first-round pick in 2021, Ford is just about MLB ready, and he could be a tremendous spark added to the Padres' lineup down the stretch.

He's muscled nine home runs, 14 doubles, 50 RBIs, and has drawn 50 walks. Those numbers are impressive, but he is batting .206 this month, so his trade value has dipped at a time when the Mariners would want to maximize his return on value. Add that in with the Mariners drafting Stevenson, any team could try and low-ball Seattle for Ford. He's still a top prospect, so expect for a decent player to be packaged in a potential deal, but it would be worth it.

Padres President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller not only has to focus on the MLB Draft for the Friars, but to also pay attention to what other clubs are doing. San Diego needs a nudge in the back-half of the season, and adding Ford into the mix could easily be an answer.