The Cincinnati Reds and former New York Yankees first baseman Mike Ford are reportedly in agreement on a contract, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman reported details of the contract as well:

“Mike Ford to the Reds on a minor league deal. $1.3M salary in majors, and another 125K in incentives. Spring training and other opts outs included,” Heyman wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Ford, 31, quietly enjoyed a decent season in 2023 with the Seattle Mariners. He slashed .228/.323/.475/.798 with 16 home runs across 83 games played. Prior to joining the Mariners, Ford played for the Los Angeles Angels, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, and the Yankees.

Ford spent the first three years of his career in New York. The big left-handed slugger displayed signs of power promise in his rookie season during the 2019 campaign. Ford appeared in just 50 games but smashed 12 home runs and recorded a .909 OPS.

It will be interesting to see if Ford makes the Reds big league club out of spring training. Cincinnati could use depth at first base and DH, so Ford has a realistic chance of making the team. Even if he doesn’t earn an everyday role, Ford’s power would be useful off the bench.

The Reds are hoping to take the next step forward in 2024. Cincinnati finished the ’23 season with an 82-80 record, which was a significant improvement from 2022. They were in the National League Wild Card race down the stretch as well.

Cincinnati features a young and promising roster and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them clinch an NL Wild Card berth soon, possibly even in 2024.