Jacob Webb

JACOB WEBB, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: June 5, 1999
Height: 6′ 4″
Weight: 200
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 19th Round, 568th Overall, 2017
How Acquired: Draft
High School: Pittsburg HS (KS)
Agent: N/A

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

Webb seems like a classic projectable prep pitcher for the Pirates.  He’s got a 6′ 4″, 200 pound frame; he filled out some in 2017, having been listed at 185 the prior year.  His delivery has been described as smooth and fluid, throwing from a high three-quarters arm slot with the ability to repeat.  He sat at 86-90 MPH, topping out at 92, at the time of the draft, but throws on a downhill angle with some sink to his fastball.  By July 2018, he was sitting at 93-94.  At the time of the draft, Webb also threw a curveball with tight, late spin that sat in the mid- to upper-70s.  Prep Baseball Report ranked Webb 3rd overall in Kansas, in a weak class for the state.  They also ranked him 245th overall out of high school players in the draft.  Webb had a commitment to Kansas State but, maybe a little surprisingly, signed with the Pirates for the slot amount.

2017
R:  0-1-0, 6.43 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 7.0 IP, 5.1 BB/9, 2.6 K/9

Webb pitched only sparingly in the GCL and not at all in the season’s final month, which he spent rehabbing from arm soreness.  When Webb was able to pitch he mostly struggled.  He ended up having surgery on his elbow, specifically ulnar nerve transposition, in which a nerve is repositioned to alleviate soreness.

2018
R:  0-1-0, 3.86 ERA, 2.36 WHIP, 4.2 IP, 9.6 BB/9, 7.7 K/9
R+:  0-0-0, 7.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8.1 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 7.6 K/9

Webb suffered from a shoulder impingement during spring training and, as a result, his workload was limited during the season.  He got into four games in the GCL and seven at Bristol, throwing only 13 innings.  Despite the ERAs, he pitched much better after he got to Bristol.  Nearly every runner who reached against him there came around to score.  On the plus side, his velocity sat at 93-94, sometimes getting higher.

2019
A-:  2-1-1, 2.76 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 16.1 IP, 6.6 BB/9, 8.3 K/9

Webb pitched in short relief for West Virginia.  The ERA is misleading, as half the runs he allowed were unearned.  His xFIP was 4.32.  The obvious issue was control problems.  Webb didn’t pitch after mid-August.

After three years, Webb has only logged 36.1 IP.  He obviously needs to improve his command, but he’s had trouble getting the mound time to do it.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2020: Minor league contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $125,000
MiLB Debut: 2017
MLB Debut:
MiLB FA Eligible: 2023
MLB FA Eligible:
Rule 5 Eligible: 2021
Added to 40-Man:
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
June 14, 2017: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 19th round, 568th overall pick; signed on June 22.