We have until the first week of June, but it's high time we started to acquaint ourselves with high school pitcher Jason Groome. The 6-foot-6 left-hander from Barnegat, N.J., was rated last month as the top high school player in the nation when it comes to where he's expected to go in the 2016 MLB Draft.
Here's the scouting report from Max Preps' top 10 high school player rankings:
1. Jason Groome, Barnegat (N.J.), LHP
The New Jersey native played at IMG Academy in Florida last year, but he has returned to his home state and will play at Barnegat this year. He has been tabbed in several mock drafts as the No. 1 overall pick, although other mock drafts have Groome as the second-best high school pitcher behind Pint. The 6-foot-6 lefthander has hit 97 mph on his fastball and has a 75-mph curveball. Command is not necessarily considered his strong suit but he reportedly has a smooth delivery.
So how did he do on Monday? Well ...
Jason Groome was up to 97 in the 1st inning. Sat 92-96. #mlbdraft
— Hudson Belinsky (@hudsonbelinsky) April 11, 2016
Groome worked 90-94 in 2nd. Pounding the bottom of the zone. CB is fire and ice, some good, some loopy. Has struck out all six batters.
— Hudson Belinsky (@hudsonbelinsky) April 11, 2016
No-hitter for Jason Groome. 19 strikeouts. Last pitch was 94. I think this kid is a prospect. #mlbdraft
— Hudson Belinsky (@hudsonbelinsky) April 11, 2016
The only baserunner over seven innings wasn't even his fault but he took care of him anyway, because the runner reached on an error and then Groome picked him off. He struck out 19 of 21 batters faced. He's a one-man wrecking crew and apparently a man among boys in high school.
There are still a few months to go before the MLB Draft, but as noted by MaxPreps, Groome is expected to be in the mix for the top overall pick.
He's from the southern part of New Jersey, which is generally Philadelphia Phillies territory. The Phillies have the first overall pick this coming June. Interesting.
