Jason Groome has returned to Barnegat High for his senior season and has made Ocean County a must visit for Major League Baseball scouts and executives.  SSZ talks with the potential #1 pick in this June’s MLB Amateur Draft and highligths of his first outing of 2016

 

Jason Groome left Barnegat following his sophomore year to enroll at the IMG Academy in Florida hoping to get to the next level of baseball.  The 6 foot 5 left handed pitcher was already a promising prospect before his trip down South, but he made the jump to one of the top prospects in all of baseball.  With the Major League Baseball draft set for June 9th, the Vanderbilt commit is almost a lock to be a top 3 pick and many feel that he will go #1 overall to the Philadelphia Phillies.  Praise has come in many forms, including the national media who are keeping close tabs on the Bengals hurler:

Groome decided to return to Ocean County and try to give the Bengals a state championship before he begins his quest to becoming a Major League Baseball player.  Last year’s overall #1 pick, Dansby Swanson, signed a $6.5 million dollar signing bonus with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  With that large dollar amount, the Phillies and every other MLB team will be watching every move that Groome makes in his senior season with Barnegat.  Over 100 scouts and executives including Phillies first year general manager Matt Klentak came to Barnegat to see Groome’s first high school outing of 2016.  Relegated to a 60 pitch count, Groome lasted until the top of the 5th inning and delivered a dominating performance against Point Pleasant Boro – 4 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 hit batter, no runs and 10 strikeouts.  Throwing consistently in the low 90s and topping out at 94 miles per hour on a cold and windy day, it was a precursor of what should be an interesting season whenever the Bengals senior takes to the mound.

Barnegat 2 Point Pleasant Boro 0

When all the MLB scouts and executives hit the road following Groome’s final pitch in the top of the 5th, the game between the Bengals and Panthers was scoreless.  Jared Kacso came on in relief to pitch the final three innings and secure the win as the Bengals scored two runs in the bottom of the 5th to win its opener.  Aaron McLaughlin reached on an error to score Eric Becker and Collin O’Connor followed with an RBI double.

Here’s a look at all 10 of Groome’s strikeouts against Point Pleasant Boro:

 

Groome’s next scheduled start is slated for Monday at home when Barnegat plays host to Central Regional in a “B” South matchup.