Due to feeling homesick, Groome opted to return to Barnegat for his senior year.[4] However, the
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association ruled that Groome was ineligible to pitch for Barnegat in April 2016 because the transfer did not involve a change of address.[5] He regained his eligibility after 30 days, or half of Barnegat's games.[6]
Professional career
Boston Red Sox
Groome was a potential first overall pick in the
2016 MLB Draft,[7][8][9] and worked out for the
Philadelphia Phillies, who had the first pick.[10] Prior to the draft, Groome changed his college commitment from
Vanderbilt to
Chipola College, a junior college in Florida.[11][12] He was selected 12th overall by the
Boston Red Sox in the draft,[13] falling in part due to a reported
signing bonus demand of $4 million and because of his change in college commitment; teams had signability concerns.[12][14] The Red Sox and Groome agreed to a $3.65 million signing bonus.[15]
At the start of the 2018 season, Groome did not play, with what was initially thought to be a
flexor strain. On May 9, 2018, the Red Sox announced that Groome would undergo
Tommy John surgery to repair a torn
ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow.[18] In April 2019, Groome was projected to return mid-way through the 2019 season;[19] he made his first appearance on August 21, pitching an inning for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox.[20] After another one-inning appearance in the Gulf Coast League, Groome made one appearance with Lowell; overall for the season he pitched four innings, allowing five hits and one run (2.25 ERA).[17] After the 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, Groome was invited to participate in the Red Sox' fall instructional league.[21] Following the 2020 season, Groome was ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox' number six prospect.[22]
On November 20, 2020, Groome was added to the
40-man roster.[23] In May 2021, he was assigned to Greenville, now a
High-A team.[17] In early September, he was promoted to the
Double-APortland Sea Dogs.[24] Overall for the 2021 season, Groome made 21 starts and compiled a 5–8 record with a 4.81 ERA.[25]
On August 2, 2022, the Red Sox traded Groome to the
San Diego Padres in exchange for
Eric Hosmer,
Max Ferguson, Corey Rosier, and cash considerations.[29][30] The Padres assigned Groome to the
El Paso Chihuahuas of the Triple-A
Pacific Coast League.[31] He made 10 starts for El Paso after the trade, posting a 3–2 record and 3.16 with 44 strikeouts in 51+1⁄3 innings pitched.
Groome was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to begin the 2023 season, and was one of San Diego's final roster cuts after pitching to a 1.29 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 5 spring appearances.[32] He spent the year with Triple–A El Paso, struggling to a 4–10 record and 8.55 ERA with 137 strikeouts across 30 starts. Groome was again optioned to El Paso to begin the 2024 season.[33]
Pitching style
At the time of the MLB draft, Groome threw a
four-seam fastball between 92–96 miles per hour (148–154 km/h), a
changeup, and a
curveball.[7] After recovering from Tommy John surgery, his fastball velocity declined to 90–94 miles per hour (145–151 km/h), but he also developed a
cut fastball and a
two-seam fastball.[31]
Personal life
Groome has two older sisters and two younger brothers.[6] As of November 2020[update], Jay Groome was living in
Fort Myers, Florida.[34] In December 2020, Groome married Amanda Muller, also of Barnegat, New Jersey; the two were expecting their first child in July 2021.[35]
^"Instagram: jaygroome". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020. To my wife, thank you for everything you do to make me the person I am!