Boston Red Sox Tap Barnegat's Jason Groome To Pitch

The suspense is over.

But it didn't come without moments of tension.

The Boston Red Sox selected Barnegat High School pitcher Jason Groome as the 12th pick in the first round of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft Thursday night.

Groome, 17, was considered by many to be the No. 1 draft pick, but things got complicated after that. The left-hander started a blazing season with wins and a no-hitter against Central Regional High School.

But shortly after that, the NJSIAA declared Groome ineligible to play because he attended IMG Academy in Florida last year. But his parents maintained their home in Barnegat and he returned.

Under NJSIAA rules, a student-athlete must sit out for 30 days when they transfer from one secondary school to another without "a bona fide change of residence by that student's parent or guardian," according to the association.

Groome was declared ineligible the NJSIAA from April 14 until April 27 because he did not have a bona-fide change of address when he moved back to Barnegat. Barnegat had to forfeit two games Groome pitched in, including the no-hitter on April 11 against Central in which he struck out 19, because he was not eligible..

Groome wound up going 1-3 on the season. The no-hitter was forfeited. Two of those losses were by 1-0 and 2-1 to Gloucester Catholic and its standout pitcher Tyler Mondile and 2-1 to West Deptford in a NJSIAA South Group II quarterfinal. respectively. In both of those losses, errors played a big part, according to nj.com.

His other loss was 7-1 to Toms River North in an Ocean County Tournament semifinal.

Groome told nj.com he was thrilled to be going to the Red Sox.

"It was kind of hectic seeing myself slide," Groome said. "I was waiting to hear my name called. I had high expectations going in. When I heard my name called, especially by Boston, my whole family was ecstatic. I just couldn’t believe it. I was not expecting that at all. It was just the best experience of my life."