"I think Logan's confidence level shot up last year" - San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler believes 25-year-old pitcher will build on breakthrough 2021 season

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler adores the energy that ace Logan Webb brings to the team. Kapler described his youngest starter as charming and endearing. He must channel that enthusiasm both in the clubhouse and on the field.

Gabe Kapler discussed Logan Webb's development in an interview with Alanna Rizzo.

"I think Logan's confidence level shot up last year."- Gabe Kapler

The right-hander for the San Francisco Giants, dubbed "Baby Ace," had a breakout season in 2021, becoming one of baseball's most well-known players. Logan Webb wasn't guaranteed a starting berth in the Giants' rotation a year ago. After a franchise-record 107-win season in 2021, the 25-year-old right-hander is expected to head a staff that will seek to defend its National League West title.

If Webb continues to pitch as he did in the second half and postseason, he will be a contender for the NL Cy Young Award, a candidate for the All-Star Game, and a costly contract.

"WHAT A PERFORMANCE BY M̶A̶D̶I̶S̶O̶N̶ ̶B̶U̶M̶G̶A̶R̶N̶E̶R̶ LOGAN WEBB!"- Action Network

Logan Webb made his Spring Training debut against Chicago, and the Giants' rising star looked confident and at ease on the mound. Over two innings, he struck out five batters and four swings.

Los Angeles Dodgers v San Francisco Giants

How did Logan Webb, a right-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, become an ace?

Logan Webb made his MLB debut in 2019, pitching only 39 innings with a 5.22 ERA. Webb struggled in the shorter COVID-2020 season, pitching 54 innings and posting a 5.47 ERA.

In 2021, Webb reduced his walks per nine innings by almost two full innings while boosting his strikeouts by two, allowing him to finish 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA. By nearly 14 innings, Webb missed qualifying for the ERA leaders. If he had qualified, he would have finished 10th in all of baseball (only below Marcus Stroman and ahead of Max Fried), giving Giants fans reason to be optimistic about the future.

Then came the 2021 postseason, when a new legend was established versus the Dodgers, who are their arch-rivals. Webb shredded through the Dodgers lineup in his playoff debut against the defending World Series winners, striking out 10 in 7.2 innings and allowing zero earned runs. Webb threw seven more innings in a win-or-go home game 5 a few days later, allowing only one run.

However, the game ended in such a way that Webb's brilliance was overshadowed. Now that Logan Webb will enter 2022 as the ace of the Giants' pitching staff, he's in the spotlight more than he has ever been.