Tough news for the Red Sox as the team announced that top pitching prospect Jason Groome will undergo Tommy John surgery.
The 19-year-old had yet to pitch in 2018 because of what was initially a flexor strain. Now, though, reconstructive surgery on his UCL is the next step. This of course means that Groome likely won't pitch for a full calendar year.
The former 12th-overall pick reached the Class A South Atlantic League last season, so he wasn't likely to help the Sox at the big-league level this season. Still, this is obviously a blow for a pitcher who entered 2018 as a consensus top-100 prospect. Across parts of two minor-league seasons, Groome has pitched to a 5.37 ERA in 17 starts. Along the way, he's struck out 82 and walked 34 in 62 innings.
This continues what's been something of a tough year for the Sox's farm system. Back in April, infielder Michael Chavis, the team's top position prospect, was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
