Jay Groome continued his upward trajectory this season within the Boston Red Sox system.
The 22-year-old 6-foot-6 left-hander was promoted from High Single-A Greenville Drive to Double-A Portland, and he impressed in his Sea Dogs debut.
Groome pitched five shutout innings Sept. 4, allowing just two hits and striking out 10. It was the first outing of the season in which the 2016 Barnegat High School graduate reached double figures in strikeouts.
Groome earned his fourth win in a month, improving to 4-8 with a 4.98 ERA between Greenville and Portland. In 18 starts with Greenville, Groome was 3-8 with a 5.29 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 81²/³ innings. In his last six starts since Aug. 5, he was 4-2 with a 5.57 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 32¹/³ innings.
Groome is expected to make his first start at home at 1 p.m. Sunday.
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In 39 career minor-league starts, he was 7-17 with a 5.07 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 152²/³ innings. The Barnegat resident was drafted with the 12th overall pick by the Red Sox in 2016.
Here are updates on 11 other local players, with stats through Thursday:
Triple-A
RHP Mike Adams (Holy Spirit), with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies), was 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 27²/³ innings (21 appearances). In 35 games this season between Single-A and Triple-A, Adams was 2-1 with a 3.99 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 38¹/³ innings.
Adams, who turned 27 on Tuesday and from Egg Harbor Township, was signed by the Phillies in January after he impressed scouts with his 98 mph fastball during a tryout. He is a co-owner of Baseball Performance Center in Pleasantville.
RHP Joe Gatto (St. Augustine Prep), 26, with the Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers), improved to 4-2 on Sept 4, allowing a run and striking out four in three innings of relief. In 22 games with Round Rock, he had a 4.70 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 38¹/³ innings.
In 33 games this season between Double-A and Triple-A, he was 5-3 with a 3.49 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 56²/³ innings.
Gatto, from Hammonton, was selected in the second round of the 2014 draft by the Los Angeles Angels and became a free agent last Nov. 2. On Dec. 3, he signed with the Rangers.
RHP Brett Kennedy (Atlantic City), 27, with the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres), was 1-6 with an 10.35 ERA in 11 starts (13 games) and 40 innings. In 17 games this season with three minor-league teams, he was 1-8 with a 8.89 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 53²/³ innings.
The Brigantine resident was selected in the 11th round of the 2015 draft by the Padres. He went 1-6 with a 6.75 ERA in six starts for the Padres in 2018.
RHP Cody Stashak (Oakcrest), 27, has been on the Minnesota Twins’ 60-day injured list since June 25 with a left back disc injury. He is with the St. Paul Saints.
Stashak has pitched 2¹/³ shutout innings with three strikeouts in two stints this season with St. Paul.
Double-A
RHPÂ Denny Brady (Buena Regional), 24, has been on the 7-day injured list with the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Los Angeles Angels) since June 22. Through five starts, Brady was 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
He’d made 48 minor-league career appearances (28 starts) with a 4.39 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 160 innings. The Vineland resident was selected in the seventh round of the 2017 draft by the Angels.
3B Buddy Kennedy (Millville), 22, with the Amarillo Sod Poodles (Arizona Diamondbacks), was hitting .250 (52 for 208) with five doubles, a triple, 13 homers, 36 runs and 33 RBIs in 59 games. He’s been recently splitting time between second and third base.
In 89 games this season between Single-A and Double-A, he was hitting .273 (89 for 319) with 10 doubles, a triple, 18 home runs, 51 runs and 53 RBIs.
Through 297 minor-league games, he was hitting .280 with 54 doubles, 14 triples, 29 homers and 154 RBIs. Kennedy was chosen in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.
LHP Zach Warren (St. Augustine), 25, with the Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies), was 1-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 35 appearances, having struck out 67 in 42 innings. In his latest outing Sept. 4, he allowed a hit and struck out three in an inning of relief. In 37 games this season, including two with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he had a 4.36 ERA in 44¹/³ innings with 69 strikeouts.
In 132 minor-league games over four seasons, Warren was 5-10 with a 3.09 ERA and 289 strikeouts in 193 innings. He was picked in the 14th round of the 2017 draft by the Phillies.
Single-A (Low)
RHP Sean Mooney (Ocean City), 23, with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins), had made 11 appearances, including 10 starts. Mooney, in his first pro season, was 0-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 33 innings. He had not pitched since Sept. 3.
The Somers Point resident was selected in the 12th round of the 2019 draft by the Twins. He didn’t pitch in 2019 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery after a season-ending injury at St. John’s University. There was no minor-league season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He made his pro debut May 6.
Rookie League
Daniel Nunan (Ocean City) is with the ACL Angels, an Arizona Complete League affiliate of Los Angeles. In his last outing Thursday, he made his first start and allowed three unearned runs in 1²/³ innings, striking out three. Through eight appearances, Nunan was 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 13 innings.
The 21-year-old from Egg Harbor Township was selected in the 12th round of the 2018 draft. He pitched in seven games in 2019 with the ACL Angels, going 1-1 with a 6.11 ERA. There was no minor-league season in 2020 due to COVID-19.
LHP Jake McKenna (Ocean City) is with the FCL Phillies, a Florida Complex League affiliate of Philadelphia. In six games (one start), McKenna had allowed 10 runs in six innings with 12 strikeouts. He had not pitched since Aug. 27.
The 19-year-old from Cape May Court House signed a minor-league deal in June 2020.
RHP Chase Petty (Mainland Regional), 18, taken 26th overall by the Minnesota Twins in the MLB draft on July 11, made his pro debut Saturday, throwing just 13 pitches in two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two, for the FCL Twins.
Who are the 2021 Press Baseball All-Stars?
Chase Petty
Chase Petty
Mainland Regional
Sr. P/2B
Petty is a MLB first-round draft prospect as pitcher. He was 6-1 on the mound with a 1.15 ERA. He struck out 99 and allowed 17 hits in 48 2/3 innings. Petty also batted .368 with four home runs, 32 RBIs and 28 runs scored. He is committed to the University of Florida.
Dave Hagaman
Dave Hagaman
Holy Spirit
Sr. P
Hagaman was 6-3 with a 2.13 ERA. He struck out 81 in 49 1/3 innings. Hagaman has committed to West Virginia.
Justin Sweeney
Justin Sweeney
Egg Harbor Township
So. P
Sweeney was 5-1 with a 1.46 ERA. He struck out 56 in 38 1/3 innings. Sweeney has already committed to Rutgers.
Gannon Brady
Gannon Brady
Ocean City
Sr. P
Brady was 2-0 in the state tournament and 4-3 overall. He had a 2.01 ERA and struck out 82 in 55 2/3 innings. Brady, who will continue his career at Fordham University, also hit four home runs.
Cole Campbell
Cole Campbell
Mainland Regional
Jr. C
Campbell batted .437 with 28 RBIs and 17 runs scored.
Joe Repetti
Joe Repetti
Ocean City
Sr. C
Repetti batted .303 with 30 runs scored and 17 RBIs.
Brody Levin
Brody Levin
Mainland Regional
Sr. 1B
Levin batted .385 with 25 RBIs, three home runs and 27 runs scored.
Ryan Taylor
Ryan Taylor
St. Augustine
Jr. SS
Taylor batted .404 with 33 runs scored and 20 RBIs.
Ethan Dodd
Ethan Dodd
Egg Harbor Township
Sr. SS
Dodd batted .347 with 21 runs scored, 19 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He also struck out 48 batters in 29 1/3 innings pitched and had a 1.91 ERA.
Dave Appolonia
Dave Appolonia
Egg Harbor Township
Sr. INF
Appolonia batted .452 with six home runs, 22 RBIs and 28 runs scored.
Jared Beebe
Jared Beebe
Hammonton
Sr. 3B
Beebe batted .543 with 23 RBIs, 10 doubles and 20 runs scored.
Brody McKenzie
Brody McKenzie
St. Augustine Prep
Sr. OF
McKenzie batted .403 with 30 runs scored, 25 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.
Cohl Mercado
Cohl Mercado
St. Joseph Academy
Jr. OF
Mercado batted .600 (27 for 45) with 26 runs scored, 24 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.
Kyle Neri
Kyle Neri
St. Augustine Prep
Jr. OF
Neri batted .429 with 36 runs scored and 28 RBIs.
Mark Elliott
Mark Elliott
Mainland Regional
Sr. OF
Elliott batted .463 with 37 runs scored, five home runs, 25 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
Matt Nunan
Matt Nunan
Ocean City
Sr. Of
Nuna batted .349 with 24 RBIs and 19 runs scored. On the mound, the Boston College recruit struck out 57 in 36 innings.
Jayden Shertel
Jayden Shertel
Holy Spirit
Sr. Utility
Shertel excelled on the mound and at the plate. He batted .443 with six home runs, 41 runs scored and 35 RBIs. On the mound he had a 1.94 ERA. He has committed to University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
Gavin Healy
Gavin Healy
Oakcrest
DH Jr.
Healy batted .459 (39 for 85) with six home runs, 33 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
C.J. Egrie
C.J. Egrie
Holy Spirit
Sr. All-around
The leadoff hitter and infielder sparked the Spartans offense with a .358 average, 34 runs scored, 15 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.
SECOND TEAM
Jackson Vanesko
St. Augustine Prep
Sr. P
Will Hoover
Mainland Regional
Jr. P
Tommy Finnegan
Ocean City
Jr. P
Nick Danbrowney
Barnegat
Sr. P
Brock Mercado
St. Joseph Academy
Sr. Catcher
Logan Mussey
Millville
Sr. INF
Blake Ramos
Millville
Sr. INF
Ryan Spina
Holy Spirit
Sr. INF
Lucas DeStefano
Hammonton
Sr. SS
Frank Wright
Egg Harbor Township
Sr. INF
Wayne Hill
Millville
So. OF
Trevor Cohen
Holy Spirit
Jr. OF
Ryan Master
Atlantic City
Sr. OF
Francisco Andino
Vineland
Sr. OF
Ryan Gallagher
Middle Township
Jr. DH
Tyler Mercado
St. Joseph Academy
Fr. Utility
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