On Tuesday, the MLB announced a number of suspensions for violating the league’s sports betting policy, and a former Boston Red Sox prospect appeared on the list.
According to Mark Fenisand, former Red Sox pitcher Jay Groome has been suspended for a year. Betting data shows that Groome placed 24 bets on Red Sox games while in the farm system. He bet $453.74 on 30 MLB game-related bets and had a net loss of $433.54.
Groome, 25, was Boston’s first-round draft pick (12th overall) in 2016 out of high school.
He missed all of the 2018 season and most of 2019 due to Tommy John surgery, and the 2020 minor-league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Groome returned to action in 2021 and rose up to Double-A Portland and then Triple-A Worcester in 2022 before being traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer and other prospects.
He posted an 8.55 ERA with San Diego’s Triple-A team in El Paso in 2023, and in three starts this year, he had a 3.60 ERA.