Arizona Diamondbacks Designate Allen Webster for Assignment

Allen Webster, acquired last offseason by the Arizona Diamondbacks, was designated for assignment.

Coming off a 98-loss season in 2014, the Arizona Diamondbacks attempted to remake one of the worst pitching staffs in the game. They swung a series of deals designed to boost the starting rotation while allowing their younger prospects more time to get ready for the Majors. Two of those pitchers are now no longer with the club. Jeremy Hellickson was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies last week for right-handed prospect Sam McWilliams. Now comes word the D-backs have designated right-hander Allen Webster for assignment.

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The 25-year old Webster came to Arizona on December 12th, 2014 along with fellow righty Rubby De La Rosa from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-hander Wade Miley. Webster was originally taken by the Los Angles Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2008 Draft and made his Major League debut on April 21st, 2013 while with Boston. In his brief D-backs’ career, Webster appeared in a total of nine games, five of them starts, and finished with an ERA of 5.81 across 31 innings. His signature moment for the Snakes was his first game for the team on June 13th as he pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs as Arizona defeated the San Francisco Giants by a score of 4-2.

Webster had some ugly numbers during the 2015 season. He surrendered 32 hits and 20 walks during those 31 innings but the ugliest number of them all was ten. Webster gave up a whopping ten home runs and if you extrapolate that over 100 innings comes out to 30 long balls. He wasn’t much better at Tripel A Reno with an 8.18 ERA in 15 starts as he yielded 117 hits and 26 walks over 77 innings. Amazingly, only eight home runs were hit off Webster in the launching pad known as the Pacific Coast League. We wish him the best of luck as he looks to revive his career in another organization.

In addition to saying goodbye to Webster, the D-backs filled out their 40-man roster by adding pitchers Jake Barrett and Matt Koch and outfielder Gabriel Guerrero. Koch, a 25-year old lefthander, came over from the New York Mets along with fellow pitcher Miller Diaz in exchange for Addison Reed. He pitched one game for Double A Mobile, throwing shutout ball for 7 1/3 innings and allowing only two hits. Guerrero came over from the Seattle Mariners with Welington Castillo, among others, for Mark Trumbo and Vidal Nuno. The 22-year old Guerrero hit .222 in 488 plate appearances at two Double A locations. He .300 with two home runs in 50 at-bats during the recently-concluded Arizona Fall League.

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Barrett was selected by the D-backs in the third round of the 2012 Draft out of Arizona St. MLB.com currently has him as the 18th-best prospect in the organization. He registered a combined 15 saves and a 4.58 ERA in 47 games between Mobile and Reno. Though he struck out 51 batters in 53 innings, Barrett gave up 61 hits and 23 walks. Expect him to receive an invite to Spring Training with the D-backs.

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