Red Sox Sign First-Round Pick Jason Groome To $3.65 Million Deal
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a $3.65 million deal with 12th overall draft pick Jason Groome. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman first reported the news via Twitter.
Groome was selected out of Barnegat High School in New Jersey and received $458,000 more than the typical for the 12th overall pick. The 6-foot-5 lefty was once considered the best player in the 2016 MLB Draft, but concerns about his maturity and makeup caused the drop to 12th. The 17-year-old Groome formerly committed to Vanderbilt University, but recently switched to Chipola College in Marianna, Florida.
The news comes on the heels of the Red Sox trading 18-year-old Anderson Espinoza, who was considered the team's top pitching prospect, for southpaw Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres.
Groome's combination of a mid-to-high-90s fastball and plus curveball has drawn comparisons to Clayton Kershaw. He could take over as the new No. 1 pitching prospect in the organization in short order, but will compete with the flamethrowing Michael Kopech for that spot.
