Jay Groome #77

His 30 starts tied with Triple-A Reno’s (ARI) Blake Walston for the most starts in all of Minor League Baseball in 2023...His 137 strikeouts for the Chihuahuas in 2023 broke Pedro Avila’s single-season El Paso franchise strikeout record (124 in ’22)...The former first round pick (12th overall) in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft was acquired by SD from BOS as one of the club’s five 2022 trade deadline deals in the four-player deal that sent Eric Hosmer to the Red Sox...He was MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 rated prospect in the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Barnegat High School (N.J.)...Ranked by MLB.com as one of BOS’ top 10 prospects in each season from 2017-21 (No. 3, 2, 5, 7, 7).

2023

Spent the entire season with El Paso (AAA) and made a career-high 30 appearances (all starts)...his 134.2 IP and 137 strikeouts were the second-highest totals of his career, trailing only his 144.0 IP and 140 punchouts in 2022 between ELP and Triple-A Worcester (BOS)...His 30 starts tied Reno’s Blake Walston for the most starts in all of Minor League Baseball in 2023...His 137 strikeouts broke Pedro Avila’s single-season El Paso franchise strikeout record (124 in ’22)...Allowed career highs in a variety of categories, including losses (10), ERA (8.55), WHIP (2.09), H/9 IP (11.4), BB/9 IP (7.5) and wild pitches (nine)...Three of his four winning decisions on the season came in three consecutive starts from July 15-25 (4.86 ERA)...it matched his career-high three-start winning streak in Aug/Sept 2021 between Single-A Greenville and Double-A Portland (BOS)...Both of his two double-digit strikeout performances (and two of his five career 10+ strikeout games) came during his three-start winning streak (struck out 10 on July 15 @ Sugar Land and a career-high 11 on July 25 vs. Round Rock)..Allowed a season-high 8 ER twice (April 25 vs. Salt Lake and May 23 vs. Reno)…those outings trailed only his career-high nine ER in a 2017 outing vs. Lexington for Single-A Greenville...Allowed 1+ HR in 17 of his 30 starts, including 2+ on seven occasions and a season-high three long balls on June 22 vs. Tacoma.

2022

Acquired by SD from BOS at the trade deadline in exchange for 1B Eric Hosmer, INF Max Ferguson, OF Corey Rosier and cash considerations...Received his second invite to Major League Spring Training (also: 2021)…split the ‘22 season between Portland (AA) and Worcester (AAA) of the Red Sox system as well as El Paso (AAA), posting career highs in wins (6), appearances (29), starts (27), IP (144.0), strikeouts (140)...Allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in nine of his 10 starts with the Chihuahuas, including two-or-fewer on eight occasions...Tossed a career-high 8.0 IP on Sept. 22 vs. Oklahoma City...Made five starts in Sept. to close out the season, going 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA (8 ER, 26.0 IP)...Earned Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week honors on Sept. 18, his first weekly honor since August 2017 with Single-A Greenville of the Red Sox system...Rated by Baseball America as having the best curveball in the Red Sox system for the third consecutive season entering the campaign.

2021

Made his Double-A debut, starting three games for Portland after spending most of the season with High-A Greenville...Between the two levels, posted a 4.81 ERA (52 ER/97.1 IP)...Allowed 12 ER in 7.1 IP in his first three starts, then posted a 4.00 ERA (40 ER/90.0 IP) in his remaining 18 starts...Led Red Sox minor leaguers with 134 SO...Also ranked among leaders in starts (T-6th, 21) and innings (7th, 97.1)...Recorded 12.39 SO/9.0 IP with a 3.72 SO/BB ratio...Recorded 8+ SO in nine starts, including a season-high 10 for Portland on 9/4 at New Hampshire (5.0 IP, 0 BB)...Made three scoreless starts in which he threw 5.0+ innings, allowed two or fewer hits, and issued 0 or 1 BB...Beginning 6/26, recorded 59 SO against only 12 BB...Finished the season with three starts for Portland...Was 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 14.94 SO/9.0 IP (15.2 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 26 SO).

2020

Added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster on 11/20/20... Spent the 2020 season at the Red Sox’ Alternate Training Site.

2019

Spent the entire 2019 season on the injured list, but made three rehab starts in the regular season and two in the postseason.

2018

Missed the entire 2018 season and most of 2019 due to injury requiring Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, performed on 5/16/18 by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, CA.