Barnegat Grad Suspended From MLB For Violating Sports Betting Rules

BARNEGAT, NJ — A former Barnegat High School baseball star is one of five who violated Major League Baseball's sports betting rules, the organization announced.

Jason Groome, 25, is suspended for one year for placing 34 MLB-related bets from July 22, 2020, through July 24, 2021, including 24 on the Boston Red Sox major league team while he was assigned to Boston’s High-A team in Greenville, South Carolina.

Once a star pitcher in Barnegat, Groome now of San Diego had been on a minor league injured list since mid-April.

San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned for life Tuesday for violating the league's gambling policy by betting on Pittsburgh Pirates games while on the team last year. Read more: Ex-Pirates Player Marcano Gets Lifetime Baseball Ban For Gambling

Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly was suspended for one year for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues and three minor leaguers also were banned for one year for betting on big league games: Groome, pitcher Andrew Saalfrank of Arizona and infielder José Rodríguez of Philadelphia. Each of those four players wagered under $1,000. Saalfrank and Rodríguez played previously in the majors.

“The strict enforcement of Major League Baseball’s rules and policies governing gambling conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans," baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.

According to the MLB, Groome wagered $453.74 on 30 MLB games and had a net loss of $433.54, receiving payouts on only two wagers. His betting included parlays.

This article contains additional reporting by Patch's Eric Heyl and the Associated Press.