Harry Ford, who was one of the breakout stars from the most recent WBC, is now firmly in a starring role for them this time around. Although every team is just playing exhibitions right now before the tournament officially kicks off, Ford made a fantastic first impression for the 2026 tournament on Tuesday. He finished the game 3/5 with a 2-run homer, and is giving Nationals fans a potential preview of what they can expect when they see him play on a big stage.
With that said, there has been some belief that incumbent backstop Keibert Ruiz might be able to bounce back due to coaching changes that have been made this offseason. It's clear that the Nationals aren't counting on Ruiz reaching the potential the Nationals thought he had when they acquired him from the Dodgers in 2021, but it wouldn't be shocking if we haven't seen the best of him yet.