Logan Webb, top Giants pitching prospect, suspended 80 games for PED

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SAN FRANCISCO -- There are a lot of talent evaluators who thought Logan Webb might be the Giants' top pitching prospect by the end of the summer. That won't be the case. 

The hard-throwing right-hander was suspended 80 games after testing positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing substance, MLB announced Wednesday morning. Webb, 22, was off to a huge start in Double-A, posting a 2.00 ERA in five games, with 31 strikeouts in 27 innings. 

In a statement released Wednesday morning, Webb was adamant that he does not know how the PED got into his system. 

"For the past month and a half I have tried endlessly to find the answer to why the M4 metabolite was found in my urine sample. I have done research, I have talked to people who know a lot more about it than I do, and I have sent in an endless amount of supplements and products for testing that I have used over the past couple years," he said. "Unfortunately, none of those things have helped me find that answer, and the time for me to find the reason that this has happened has run out. I know in my heart that something someday will be put into the world to prove my innocence. 

"That being said, I do not disagree with MLB’s policy, and respect the drug testing system that has been put in place. I love this game and respect it too much to ever cheat it. I am heartbroken over this and I am not sure why this is happening to me, but in life some things happen for a reason and it is my job now to find that reason."

Webb was a fourth-round pick in 2014 but was slowed by Tommy John surgery. When he returned last year, he had a 1.82 ERA in 21 appearances for San Jose and earned a promotion to Double-A Richmond.

Webb was added to the 40-man roster over the offseason and the Giants were excited about the tenacity and stuff he showed this spring. There was a chance he could have been an option in the big leagues by the end of this year.

"I would like to apologize to my family, friends, teammates & the San Francisco Giants organization for the negative attention this has brought to them," Webb said in the statement. "The platform you guys have created for me to pursue my dreams is special to me and I want you to know I would never do anything to ruin that. Over the next couple of months and the rest of my career I will continue to work on regaining the trust and respect I’ve earned over the past few years with my teammates and the Giants organization. I will be back and better than ever."

[RELATED: How Logan Webb shot up Giants' prospect rankings]

The Giants released their own statement that simply said the organization was disappointed that Webb violated the terms of MLB's drug prevention and treatment program. This is another unbelievable blow for an organization that entered the year with little prospect depth.

The Giants already have seen their top two prospects -- Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos -- go down to injuries. 

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