Tag Archives: Jake Mangum

04 Sep

rays on rise

Suddenly, the Tampa Bay Rays are the hottest team in the big leagues. And one of their hottest hitters is Jake Mangum, the rookie outfielder out of Mississippi State. The Rays take a six-game win streak into tonight’s home game vs. Cleveland. They’ve climbed over .500 (70-69), past the Guardians, and are tied for fifth in the American League wild card standings, just 2.5 games out of a postseason berth. “Vibes are up,” right-hander Adrian Houser, former Biloxi Shuckers ace who won his eighth game on Wednesday against Seattle, told mlb.com. Mangum’s vibe is seemingly always up. “He’s always on go,” Rays manager Kevin Cash recently told the Tampa Bay Times. “The effort is never questioned.” The Jackson Prep grad — the Rays’ Heart and Hustle Award winner for 2025 — had three hits and an RBI in Wednesday’s 9-4 win vs. the Mariners. He is hitting .483 over his last seven games, .356 over his last 15. On the season, he is at .293 with 21 stolen bases. An excellent defensive outfielder, Mangum has yet to make an error, has chalked up five assists and routinely shows up on the highlight reels with diving catches. Also making contributions for Tampa Bay is Nick Fortes, the veteran catcher out of Ole Miss. The Rays, looking to upgrade their defense, traded for him in July. He has two homers, seven RBIs and six runs in 20 games with the club. Keeping the vibes up will be a challenge for the Rays, whose remaining schedule is tough. It includes four games with Cleveland, three with the Chicago Cubs, seven with Toronto and three with Boston. All, like Tampa Bay, are chasing playoff spots.

23 Aug

den of thieves

Jake Mangum notched his 20th stolen base of the season on Friday, a significant milestone for the MLB rookie out of Mississippi State. He’ll surely get more before the Tampa Bay Rays’ season ends. One of the fastest players in the 2019 MLB draft, Flowood native Mangum ripped off 81 bags in his six minor league seasons. For the record, the record for steals in a season by a Mississippi native is 59, set by — no surprise here — Billy Hamilton. The state’s career steals leader, Hamilton also stole 58, 57 and 56 in different seasons but, oddly enough, never won a league stolen base crown. The only Mississippian to do that was Sam Jethroe, a Columbus native who led the National League with 35 — as a rookie — in 1950 and again in 1951 while with the Boston Braves. He was rookie of the year in 1950. According to baseball-reference.com, Starkville’s Cool Papa Bell stole 49 bases in a season (1929) in the Negro Leagues and also had a 36-steal campaign. Jarrod Dyson’s MLB-best was 36; the McComb product also had 34 one year and had three 30-steal seasons. Gee Walker, from Gulfport, was the career steals leader among Mississippians before Hamilton and Dyson blew by him; he topped out at 30 in a single season, back in 1932. In the minor leagues, Konnor Griffin has 60 steals this season, having played in three different leagues. Now the No. 1 prospect in the minors, the Jackson native was regarded as the fastest prep player in the 2024 draft. Batesville native Emaarion Boyd has 46 steals over two levels this year and swiped 56 in 2023. The record for a Mississippian in the minors? Hamilton, again. The Taylorsville product set the all-time minor league mark with 155 playing at two levels in 2012.

03 Jul

a quick trip

It takes a dash of speed and a pinch of luck to hit an inside-the-park home run. Jake Mangum had both going for him on Wednesday. The former Mississippi State star from Flowood banged a high fly ball off the wall in center field at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Denzel Clarke, the A’s remarkably athletic center fielder, just missed making the catch, crashed into the wall and fell to the ground in a heap as Mangum flew around the bases and scored standing up. It was just the third IPHR of the MLB season — the 24th in Rays history — and it contributed to a 6-5 win that moved the team within a half-game of first place in the American League East. Mangum was timed at 14.98 seconds making the circuit. The record in the Statcast era (since 2015) is Byron Buxton’s 13.85 in 2017, per mlb.com. Known more for his speed than power, Mangum has two homers and 11 steals in 51 games in his rookie season. In 437 minor league games, Mangum hit 24 homers and stole 81 bags. He said after Wednesday’s game that he doesn’t recall ever hitting an inside-the-park homer, even in his amateur days. They are rare. Consider that former Taylorsville High star Billy Hamilton, regarded as one of the fastest ever to play the game, never hit one in his 11-year big league career. (He reportedly circled the bases in a hand-timed 13.8 seconds on an IPHR in Double-A.) McComb native Jarrod Dyson, another well-known speedster, hit one IPHR in his 12-year MLB career. Gulfport’s Matt Lawton, another fast man who played from 1995-2006, never got an IPHR. A little research in Baseball Almanac records indicates that Greenville native Frank White recorded three inside-the-parkers back in the 1970s, and Vicksburg’s Ellis Burks tallied two in the mid-’90s. P.S. Kudos to Slater Lott, new coach at Itawamba Community College. The former Pearl River CC hitting coach — he was NJCAA Division II assistant of the year in 2022 — replaces Rick Collier, who retired after 23 highly successful years at ICC. Lott, a former Clarkdale High player, also coached at Meridian CC and Delta State. He joins Brian O’Connor (Mississippi State) and Patrick Robey (Belhaven) as new coaches for 2026.

24 Apr

speed bump?

Jake Mangum’s impressive run in his long-awaited big league opportunity may have hit a speed bump. The ex-Mississippi State star, now a rookie with Tampa Bay, had to leave Wednesday night’s game at Arizona with what was described as left groin tightness. He pulled up with a limp after crossing first base on a ground out in the fourth inning. The 29-year-old Flowood native was listed as day-to-day this morning. Through 21 games, Mangum is hitting .338 and tied for the American League lead with eight stolen bases. He recently was timed at 4.09 seconds going home to first, tied for the fastest in MLB this season. The switch-hitter has been a valuable contributor since his March 29 call-up, going 23-for-68 with four doubles, seven RBIs and seven runs for the Rays, 10-14 after a 7-6 win over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday. He has played all three outfield positions and handled 47 chances with just one error. P.S. Red-hot Nick Monistere belted a walk-off homer in the ninth inning Wednesday to give Southern Miss a 5-4 win against Southeastern Louisiana at Hattiesburg. Monistere, the former Northwest Rankin High standout, has 15 home runs on the year, seven bombs and 19 RBIs in his last six games for 28-13 USM. … Ole Miss alum Drew Pomeranz was added to the Chicago Cubs’ roster on Wednesday but did not pitch. The 36-year-old left-hander, acquired from Seattle, has a 3.91 career ERA in 389 MLB games, the last of those appearances coming in 2021. … Former big leaguer Billy Hamilton, the speedster from Taylorsville, got his first steal of 2025 in the Mexican League on Wednesday. That’s No. 844 in his long pro career. Hamilton, 34, is 5-for-18 in five games for Jalisco. … Mississippi State product Rowdey Jordan has been traded to Houston by the New York Mets. The fifth-year minor leaguer was playing at Triple-A Syracuse. … Longtime local broadcaster Jay White has been named the play-by-play voice of the Mississippi Mud Monsters, the independent pro team that will begin play on May 8 at Pearl’s Trustmark Park. … In the juco showdown at Poplarville on Wednesday, Pearl River Community College swept Jones College 7-1 and 3-2 behind the pitching of Camden Clark and K.K. Clark. PRCC, ranked No. 2 in NJCAA Division II, is 42-6, 22-2 in MACCC. No. 7 Jones slipped to 33-12, 19-7.

01 Apr

on the docket

This promises to be a terrific Tuesday. Among the numerous compelling matchups is Game 2 of the Maloney Trophy Series, with Millsaps College visiting Belhaven University at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The Majors won the first game and can clinch the trophy with a victory. Both of these NCAA Division III teams are good: Millsaps is 19-7, Belhaven 17-9. The Blazers are 13-3 at Trustmark. … In Oxford, Ole Miss, 21-6 and ranked 10th by Baseball America, hosts Jackson State, which is 16-10 but likely doesn’t have the pitching depth (5.65 ERA) to subdue the Rebels’ bats. The Tigers lost to Mississippi State 16-3 two weeks ago. … Southern Miss (20-8, ranked 24th by BA) plays host to old rival Tulane in Hattiesburg. Going back to 2005, the Golden Eagles lead the series 26-23. USM is coming off a gritty Sun Belt series win over South Alabama, while the Green Wave (17-11) was just swept by AAC rival South Florida. … Mississippi State, reeling from a sweep at LSU, visits Memphis, reeling from an eight-game losing streak. The Bulldogs are 16-12. Memphis — coached by Mississippi native Matt Riser and listing numerous state prep products on its roster — is 11-16, including a loss to Ole Miss. … In the junior colleges: No. 2-ranked Pearl River Community College (29-5, 9-1 MACCC) might be tested in a trip to Meridian CC, which has been ranked this season and sits at 21-13, 8-4. Of note: PRCC will play an exhibition game Wednesday against the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi. East Central CC (27-7, 9-3), ranked fourth in NJCAA Division II, visits Hinds on Tuesday, and No. 8 Jones College (23-8, 9-3) hosts Copiah Lincoln. … In the big leagues, former Jackson Prep star Will Warren will make his 2025 debut for the New York Yankees, starting against Arizona at Yankee Stadium. At West Sacramento, new home of the A’s, George County High product Justin Steele (1-1, 8.00 ERA) will pitch for the Chicago Cubs against the A’s and ex-MSU slugger Brent Rooker. P.S. Jake Mangum (see previous posts) delivered a 4-for-4 performance — three singles and a double — in his second big league game, driving in two runs, scoring one and stealing two bases in Tampa Bay’s 6-1 win Monday night against Colorado. Ex-Mississippi State star Mangum even had two hits from both sides of the plate. “I can’t wrap my head around it still,” the 29-year-old rookie, already a fan favorite in Tampa, said in an mlb.com story. … Ex-Ocean Springs High standout Garrett Crochet has received a 6-year, $170 million extension from Boston. The 25-year-old lefty, acquired from the White Sox in an off-season trade, has a 3.29 ERA in 105 MLB games, 33 as a starter the last two years. He was an All-Star in 2024.

29 Mar

debut watch

Jake Mangum was recalled by Tampa Bay today, opening the door for the ex-Mississippi State star to make his long-awaited big league debut. The Rays’ lineup for today’s home game against Colorado has not been posted. Mangum, 29, a Flowood native, has been in pro ball since 2019 when he was drafted by the New York Mets and spent most of the last three seasons at the Triple-A level. A switch-hitter and outstanding defensive outfielder, he has a .296 career average in 432 games in the minors and was the SEC’s all-time hits leader when he left Starkville. He was optioned out from spring camp to Triple-A Durham last week but recalled today when the Rays put outfielder Josh Lowe on the injured list.

08 Mar

spring flings

Making a major league club as a non-roster invitee to spring training is a tall order. Jake Mangum, the former Jackson Prep and Mississippi State star, is making a strong case in Tampa Bay’s camp. Now with his third organization in three years, Mangum is 6-for-12 with a homer, two RBIs and three steals in Grapefruit League play. The switch-hitting outfielder had a couple of hits in Thursday’s game against Philadelphia. Mangum, now 28 years old, hit .357 over four years at State and has hit .289 over four minor league campaigns. He is also an outstanding defensive player. But he hasn’t gotten the big league call. Yet. … Things have not gone as well this spring for several veteran Mississippi-connected pitchers in camp as NRIs with new clubs. Zac Houston, an MSU alum, has a 12.27 ERA in four games for Tampa Bay. The 29-year-old right-hander has been in pro ball since 2016 without an MLB look. Jonathan Holder, 30, another ex-Bulldogs star, is trying get back to The Show with Texas. He has an 11.57 in five Cactus League games. And 35-year-old Drew Pomeranz, the former Ole Miss standout who last pitched in the majors in 2021, has put up a 9.82 in four appearances with the Los Angeles Angels. … Ex-Southern Miss standout Chuckie Robinson, in the Chicago White Sox’s camp, is 1-for-9 in six games as a catcher. Petal High product Anthony Alford is 0-for-3 for Cincinnati as he attempts to get back in the big leagues after two years in Korea.

09 Dec

trade winds

Jake Mangum had an SEC record 383 hits (and a .357 career average) at Mississippi State and has 370 hits (.289 average) in four minor league seasons. But he is still pursuing major league hit — and at-bat — No. 1. The former Jackson Prep star will resume his quest to make the big leagues next spring with a third different pro organization, having been traded Friday from Miami to Tampa Bay to complete an earlier deal. Mangum, 27, said on X (Twitter) he is “excited for the opportunity … . I’ll give it all I got.” Originally drafted by the New York Mets in 2019, the switch-hitting outfielder was traded to Miami last year and batted .298 (.346 OBP) with five homers, 52 RBIs and 16 stolen bases at Triple-A Jacksonville. Mangum, considered an outstanding defensive player, likely will get an invitation as a minor leaguer to Tampa Bay’s big league camp in the spring. The Rays’ 40-man roster currently lists four outfielders: Randy Arozarena, Josh Lowe, Manuel Margot and Jose Siri.

26 May

hits keep coming

Promoted to Triple-A on Tuesday, Jake Mangum got a hit — and a stolen base — in his first game at the new level and is 4-for-7 in two games for Syracuse in the New York Mets’ system. The former Jackson Prep and Mississippi State star hit .283 this season at Double-A Binghamton before earning the promotion. Rated the No. 22 prospect in the Mets’ organization, Mangum, 26, is a .277 career hitter with 10 homers and 39 steals in 646 at-bats over three seasons in the minors. He left State as the all-time hits leader in the SEC. “I’m a gap-to-gap hitter that still plays the game hard and plays the game fast,” he told milb.com in a story currently featured on its website. The switch-hitting center fielder said his plan for the rest of 2022 is “play every game like it’s my last.” P.S. MSU product Konnor Pilkington has been recalled by Cleveland and will start today’s game against Detroit. The left-hander has a 2.08 ERA in four big league games this season. … Former Petal High standout Anthony Alford reportedly has signed with the KT Wiz of the Korean Baseball Organization. The onetime big leaguer, cut loose by Pittsburgh earlier this season, had been playing in Triple-A in the Cleveland chain.

24 Feb

firmly in the mix

There are more heralded players in the New York Mets’ minor league camp in Port St. Lucie, Fla., but Jake Mangum is commanding his share of attention. “(N)obody is going to outwork him,” Mets director of player development Kevin Howard recently told the New York Post. “He’s got a lot of natural ability.” Mangum, 25, the former Mississippi State and Jackson Prep star, had a breakout 2021 season, using a rebuilt swing to bat .285 with nine homers and 47 RBIs (plus 14 steals) at the High-A and Double-A levels. He is also an excellent defensive outfielder. Howard suggested Mangum may have been underestimated by the folks who do the prospect rankings. The switch-hitter, coming off a tremendous career at State, had a sluggish start to his pro career, batting .247 with no homers in 2019 after being drafted in the fourth round. Last season appears to have been a sea change. Mangum told the Post he is excited about having another ex-MSU star now in charge of the Mets’ big league team. “Buck Showalter is a legend,” Mangum said. “His name just speaks for itself.” P.S. Disappointing to see that John Rhys Plumlee, the ex-Oak Grove and Ole Miss two-sport star, won’t be allowed to play baseball at Central Florida this season. The NCAA denied a waiver asking that the recent transfer be immediately eligible for the spring sport. Plumlee, a highly regarded prep player, batted .224 in 60 games over a couple of seasons with the Ole Miss team.