2025 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #37 LHP Ryan Webb
With a solid 2024 season and good secondaries, what is Webb's future?
Bio
Age (2024 season): 26
Acquired: 2021 Draft (Round 4)
2024 Level:Triple-A
Rule 5: Eligible
Height: 6’1
Weight: 202
Throws: Left
First impression
Modestly sized lefty with a high 3/4 arm slot and an array of offerings that range from fringe to average or above average and fringe control. Doesn’t light up the radar gun but has enough to miss some bats.
2025 Scouting Grades
Fastball: 45
Slider: 45
Curveball: 45
Changeup: 55
Command: 40
Overall: 40
Risk: Moderate
ETA: 2025
What Makes Webb Fun
I’m a sucker for a good curveball and a changeup, especially from a lefty. Webb has confidence in both offerings, and he should. His curve has a lot of hump to it, a big downward spinner. It’s like a lite-ish version of Barry Zito. It’s not quite a 12-6, but it has good drop. His changeup also has good, hard fade and run. Both these pitches are what gets most of his swings and misses. His delivery is fairly clean with a mid-section high leg kick. Around the zone enough despite not having great control. Keeps the ball on the ground.
What Could Hold Webb Back
Webb comes in with something of a light fastball. In the past, he could get his fastball to 94 and even 96, but in 2024 he finished the year around 90 on average, getting up to 92 with very average characteristics. 90-92 is serviceable but it requires good control, especially with low spin. He slider is decent but nothing spectacular. He’s a little undersized and there are concerns about durability and holding up velocity and stuff as his outings and innings go on. Did have TJ his final year at Georgia, where he was trending as a first rounder but health dropped him to the fourth. Control is fringe overall.
Key Metric
14.9% - A pretty good swinging strike rate for a pitcher with an underwhelming fastball and fringe control. He’s been able to miss some bats at the upper levels of the minors, which I believe mostly comes from his changeup, but also the curveball helps.
Intangibles
Webb had to fight back from TJ his final year at Georgia, which knocked his draft standing down. He’s come back to reach Triple-A to some success now, so that’s a testament to the work he’s put in. I think Webb is also greatly motivated after being left off the 40 man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft and then not being selected back in December.
Future
As a starter, Webb kind of feels like a five-and-dive depth guy due to his size and lighter fastball. There’s some Triple-A success to build on, but he needs a better heater and he needs to be able to hold his stuff deeper into games and into the season. He might have a enough to be a sixth/seventh type arm now. I think a move to the bullpen eventually could help his fastball have some more velo and his curve/change give him options to get lefties and righties out as a reliever.
Role/Risk
40 - Depth SP/middle relief