2016 draftee could start season at Single-A in Greenville, S.C.
The buzz that followed former Barnegat High School star Jason Groome around the Shore Conference last spring has followed him to Fort Myers, Fla. this spring.
Groome, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound, 18-year-old, mid-90s throwing lefty, fell to the Boston Red Sox with the No. 12 pick in the 2016 Major League Draft last June. Needless to say, the Red Sox were giddy to get a pitcher, who had the talent to be the overall No. 1 selection.
Groome is rated the No. 2, left-handed prospect in all of baseball by MLB.com.
“There hasn’t been this type of buzz around a pitching prospect in Boston since Jon Lester,” Bostoninjection.com wrote.
After a lengthy negation following the draft, Groome was brought along slowly by the Red Sox. He pitched in three games – two with the Gulf Coast Red Sox and a playoff game with the New York-Penn League Lowell (Mass.) Spinners.
In three starts, Groome struck out 10 in 6.2 innings of work. He walked four and allowed three hits.
Here's #RedSox prospect Jay Groome, their first-round pick in June, after throwing BP. pic.twitter.com/x1Cbc6Odu8
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 7, 2017
Groome is ranked as the No. 43 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America. He is considered the No. 3 prospect in the Red Sox organization – not bad considering Boston’s No. 1 prospect – third baseman Andrew Benintendi – is the top prospect in all of minor league baseball. He has been projected as the No. 3 hitter for the big-league club on Opening Day.
Groome is expected to start the 2017 season with the low-Class A Greenville (S.C.) Drive according to overthemonster.com. Greenville plays in the South Atlantic League and would be in Lakewood to play the BlueClaws on May 10, 11, 12.
Another school of thought has Groome returning to Lowell. But as Bostoninjection.com noted, Lowell doesn’t begin play until mid-June. It would seem the only way Groome ends up in Lowell is if he is unsuccessful at Greenville.
“Clearly, all of the potential is there. Now, we can finally see it in action,” overthemonster.com wrote.
Groome also has a new Mercedes-Benz. In a Q&A with masslive.com, Groome said he purchased a C63 S AMG, 2017.
“So I got my dream car that I always wanted,” Groome said. “And I actually purchased mother a car, too, for Christmas. I got her a Chevy Suburban because she likes big trucks like that.
“You've always got to take care of the people who took care of you.
Here is some video of #RedSox pitching prospect Jason Groome. pic.twitter.com/eA6oyxweWM
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 7, 2017
Groome may not be the only New Jersey native in the Greenville rotation this spring.
ANOTHER JERSEY GUY: Right-hander Mike Shawaryn, taken by Boston in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Maryland, could be a starter for the Drive as well. Sharwaryn, who goes 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, played high school ball at Gloucester Catholic.
Sharawyn signed for $637,500.
According to soxprpospects.com, Sharwaryn has a 91-30 mph fastball that tops out at 95. His slider has a 10-4 break at 79-82.
Shawaryn was 24-6 in his first two seasons at Maryland with 200 strikeouts and 53 walks in 208 innings and was considered a potential No. 1 pick. However, he suffered through an injury-filled junior season (6-4, 3.18 ERA) and saw his draft stock drop.
According to soxprospects.com, Shawaryn projects as a middle reliever or swingman.
Joe Zedalis may be reached at jzedalis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @josephzedalis. Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook.