Travis Webb

Travis Stanton Webb

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 4", Weight 205 lb.
• School Arizona State University, Washington State University
• High School Lewis & Clark High School
• Born August 2, 1984 in Spokane, WA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Relief pitcher Travis Webb played in the minor leagues from 2006 to 2013. He reached Triple-A for the first time in 2011. His father Stan Webb played in the minors as well. His uncle Craig Ehlo played over 800 games in the NBA.

Webb hit .350 as a high school sophomore, .547 as a junior and .609 as a senior while going 6-2 with a 0.67 ERA his senior year. He led the Greater Spokane League in both average and ERA. He had a 5.68 ERA in 9 games as a college freshman at Arizona State then transferred to Washington State, going 0-5 with a 9.08 ERA and a WHIP over 2 in a rough year. He blossomed as a junior, improving to 4-0, 2.17 with 8 saves and a .214 opponent average. He was third in the Pac-10 Conference in saves.

He was taken by the Reds in the 8th round of the 2006 amateur draft, a few slots after Alex Presley, and began his professional career that season. His signing scout was Daniel Huston and his bonus was $90,000. He was 5-2 with a 3.40 ERA in his first pro season, with the Billings Mustangs. He tied for 7th in the Pioneer League in wins. In 2007, he had a 7-5, 3.45 campaign for the Dayton Dragons though control was an issue (62 BB, 12 WP in 114 2/3 IP). He struck out 114. He was 8th in the Midwest League in ERA (between Cesar Valdez and Kyle Parker) but second in walks (one behind Miguel Sanfler. Among Reds farmhands, he was 5th in ERA (between Sean Watson and Richie Gardner), second in walks (12 shy of Jamie Arneson), tied for second in wild pitches (two behind James Avery) and 6th in strikeouts (between Daryl Thompson and Sam LeCure). He then ran into injury trouble and missing 2008 due to Tommy John surgery.

Travis returned to the field in 2009, going 7-10 with a 3.99 ERA for the Sarasota Reds. He tied for 6th in the Reds chain in losses and his 64 walks were second to Jerry Gil. He was two walks shy of Florida State League leader Richard Castillo. He split 2010 between the Lynchburg Hillcats (0-1, 2.79) and Carolina Mudcats (6-10, 4.93). He threw 10 wild pitches and walked 74 in 138 IP while striking out 113. He tied for 7th in the Southern League in losses and was 5th in walks (between Chris Withrow and Jeremy Hall). Among Reds farmhands, he tied Scott Carroll for third in losses (one behind Curtis Partch and Justin Walker), 5th in runs allowed (72), 1st in walks (16 more than Gil) and third in whiffs (behind Matt Klinker and Aroldis Chapman).

He was initially a starting pitcher, but transitioned into a relief role in 2011. He split time between Carolina (1-7, Sv, 4.41 in 36 G, 36 BB, 89 K in 69 1/3 IP) and the Louisville Bats (0 R in 1 IP). In the Arizona Fall League, he was 2-1 with a 5.03 ERA and 24 K in 19 2/3 IP for the Phoenix Desert Dogs. He spent his first full year in AAA with the 2012 Bats, going 2-6 with a 4.81 ERA in 54 games. He walked 34 and threw 10 wild pitches in 58 innings but struck out 67. He tied Nick Christiani, Dane De La Rosa, Tim Wood and Dusty Hughes for second in the 2012 International League in games pitched, 3 behind Fernando Cabrera. Among Reds farmhands, he tied Christiani for second behind Justin Freeman and Drew Hayes.

The Milwaukee Brewers signed him as a minor league free agent. He was prone to allowing many walks, which led to an inflated ERA: In 2013, for example, despite having 67 strikeouts in 55 innings, his ERA was 7.04 because he walked 43 batters and allowed 64 hits. He was 2-6 with a save in 56 games that year for the Nashville Sounds. He was 4th in the 2013 Pacific Coast League in appearances, trailing Justin Hampson, Chris Hatcher and Jonathan Albaladejo. He led Brewers farmhands in games pitched.

Overall, he was 30-47 with a 4.39 ERA in 242 games (88 starts) in seven seasons. In 604 1/3 innings, he allowed 594 hits and 329 walks, while striking out 587 batters. In 111 games at Triple-A, only one of which he started, he was 4-12 with a 5.84 ERA (though his K/9 IP ratio was 10.6).

Primary Sources

• bio
• 2013 Brewers Media Guide
• 2012 Reds Media Guide