Under the Radar Yankees Prospect: First Baseman Mike Ford

Yanks Go Yard is combing through the New York Yankees minor league system in search of hidden gems in this ongoing series. Today, we look at first baseman Mike Ford.

Mike Ford seems like the favorite for the Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre starting first base job in 2017, which will put just one step away from the big leagues. That’s pretty impressive considering Ford signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent and has received almost no consideration as a prospect in his four seasons as a professional.

A two-way player during his three seasons in Princeton, Ford has the distinction of being the only person in history to win the Ivy League’s Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year awards. Amazingly, he accomplished the feat in the same season, hitting .320/.443/.503 with six homers in 183 PA for the Tigers, while also pitching to a 0.98 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 64 IP.

The Yankees turned him into a hitter full time after signing him, and the results have been solid. After a short stint with Staten Island in the NY-Penn League in 2013, Ford broke out in his first full season in 2014, putting up a .292/.383/.458 batting line with 13 home runs and 56 RBI in 433 plate appearances between Low-A Charleston and High-A Tampa.

More from Yankees Minor Leagues

• Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez ranks in tough spot on Arizona Fall League Top Prospects list
• Yankees protect only 1 top prospect from 2022 Rule 5 Draft, take major risk
• Scouts ripping Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez’s AFL performance need to get real
• Ranking Yankees prospects heading to Arizona Fall League
• Yankees 2022 first-round pick Spencer Jones ended season on a rampage

Ford is probably best remembered by Yankees fans for his four homer game in the Riverdogs’ 17-10 win over the Hickory Crawdads on May 25, 2014, hitting a two run shot followed by three solo blasts.

The biggest question with Ford is his power. The bar is pretty high for first base prospects. If they don’t look like sure thing 30 homer bats, they tend to get brushed over. That’s why no one knew who Paul Goldschmidt was before he was one of the National League’s best players. Now, Ford probably isn’t Goldy, but he’s a professional hitter with an advanced approach who could end up making an impact in an MLB lineup down the road.

Ford’s power took a step back in 2015, with just six homers and a .368 SLG in 500 PA for High-A Tampa, but he rebounded nicely in limited action this year. After missing the first three months of 2016 with a wrist injury, Ford hit .289/.417/.455 with five homers in 180 PA for Double-A Trenton to finish the season.

Next: Three Scranton Shuttle Relievers Set to Break Out

The Yankees saw this season how quickly depth at a position can evaporate when their top four first base options went down with injury. Ford is probably fourth on the depth chart for first at the moment, so it’s not crazy to think he could get a look at some point if he builds on his strong 2016 production.

As an undrafted free agent with a legit shot to make the majors, Ford is one of the most fun underdogs in the Yankees system.