Jake Mangum Bio
Jake Mangum is an American professional baseball outfielder who is best known for setting the all-time hits record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during his college career with the Mississippi State Bulldogs. After years in the minor leagues, he reached the majors with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025 and was later acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is recognized for his contact hitting, defensive range in the outfield, and base-running instincts.
Born Jacob Thomas Mangum on March 8, 1996, in Flowood, Mississippi, he grew up in nearby Pearl and built a reputation as one of the most accomplished amateur players in his state before becoming a professional. His combination of speed, plate discipline, and durability has helped him move steadily through each level of professional baseball.
Early Life and Background
Jake Mangum was born on March 8, 1996, in Flowood, Mississippi, and was raised in nearby Pearl. He attended Jackson Preparatory School in Flowood, where he was a multi-sport standout and a key contributor on three consecutive state championship baseball teams. His performance earned him Louisville Slugger All-American honors in 2013 and 2015 and Perfect Game All-American recognition in 2013, 2014, and 2015, along with first team All-State nods in 2014 and 2015.
As a senior at Jackson Prep, Mangum hit .504 with 46 runs scored and 41 runs batted in (RBIs), and on the mound he went 8-0 with four saves, 66 strikeouts, and a 1.48 ERA across 52 innings. He was named the MIAS AAA, Division I Player of the Year for that season. Despite originally committing to play college baseball at the University of Alabama, his father’s alma mater, he de-committed and chose to attend Mississippi State.
Jake Mangum comes from a strong athletic family. He is the son of John Mangum Jr., a former defensive back at Alabama who went on to play for the Chicago Bears, and the nephew of Kris Mangum, a former tight end for the Carolina Panthers. His grandfather, John “Big John” Mangum Sr., played college football at Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi before spending time with the Boston Patriots of the American Football League.
Path to Professional Baseball
Jake Mangum wasted little time establishing himself as a college star. As a freshman at Mississippi State in 2016, he led the SEC with a .408 batting average and finished seventh in the NCAA with 84 hits. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year, first team All-SEC, and earned Freshman All-America honors from multiple outlets, becoming the first freshman to win the C Spire Ferriss Trophy as Mississippi’s top collegiate player.
During the summer of 2016, Mangum played for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he batted .300 with nine RBIs and 11 stolen bases and was selected to the Cape Cod All-Star team. As a sophomore in 2017, he hit .324 with 14 stolen bases and added pitching appearances for the Bulldogs before being selected by the New York Yankees in the 30th round of the 2017 MLB draft, an offer he declined to return to school.
His junior and senior seasons cemented his place in SEC history. In 2018, he led the conference with 101 hits as Mississippi State reached the College World Series semifinals. On April 26, 2019, he passed Eddy Furniss to become the all-time hits leader in SEC history with his 353rd career hit. He finished his college career with 383 hits, a school and SEC record, and earned the Ferriss Trophy for a second time, becoming the first player to win the award twice.
Jake Mangum Career
Early Career (2019-2021)
The New York Mets selected Jake Mangum in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2019 MLB draft, four rounds after he had been drafted by the Yankees in 2017 and the Mets in 2018, both of which he declined. He signed with the Mets on June 24, 2019, for a $20,000 bonus, well below the slot value, and was assigned to the Brooklyn Cyclones of the Low-A New York-Penn League, where he batted .247 with 17 stolen bases in 53 games. The 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting his early development.
In 2021, Mangum returned to Brooklyn, now the Mets’ High-A affiliate, and earned a promotion to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies on May 22. Over 84 games between the two levels, he slashed .285/.337/.454 with nine home runs, 47 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases, showing growth in power while continuing to demonstrate his speed and contact ability.
New York Mets and Miami Marlins (2022-2023)
Jake Mangum was a non-roster invitee to the Mets’ 2022 spring training and was assigned to Binghamton to begin the season. He batted .283 in 31 games before earning a promotion to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, though a stress reaction in his spine limited his play. After returning in late August, he hit .333 with seven stolen bases in 33 games with Syracuse, finishing the year healthy and productive.
On December 7, 2022, Mangum was traded to the Miami Marlins as the player to be named later in a deal that sent Elieser Hernández and Jeff Brigham to the Mets. He spent the 2023 season with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Miami’s Double-A affiliate, where he batted .298 with five home runs and 52 RBIs in 119 games. He did not appear in the major leagues during his time in the Marlins organization.
Tampa Bay Rays (2024-2025)
Jake Mangum was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on December 8, 2023, as the player to be named later in the deal that sent Vidal Bruján and Calvin Faucher to Miami. He spent 2024 with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, batting .317/.358/.442 with six home runs, 56 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 104 games. On November 19, 2024, the Rays added him to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft.
Mangum opened 2025 back at Triple-A Durham before being promoted to the majors on March 29, 2025, following an injury to Josh Lowe. On May 31, 2025, he hit his first career home run, a two-run shot off Kaleb Ort of the Houston Astros. He played 118 games for Tampa Bay as a rookie, hitting .296/.330/.368 with three home runs, 40 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases, establishing himself as a contact-driven outfielder with strong on-base skills.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2025-Present)
On December 19, 2025, Jake Mangum was sent from the Rays to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a three-team trade that also brought Brandon Lowe and Mason Montgomery to Pittsburgh, sent Mike Burrows to the Houston Astros, and sent Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito to Tampa Bay. The move gave him an opportunity to contribute to a young Pirates outfield group looking to build around emerging talent.
Through June 21, 2026, Mangum was batting .299 with four home runs, 53 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases for the Pirates, providing speed at the top of the lineup and steady defense in the outfield. His combination of contact hitting, plate discipline, and base-running aggression quickly made him a regular contributor in Pittsburgh’s everyday plans.
Notable Events and Milestones
Jake Mangum’s most celebrated milestone came on April 26, 2019, when he passed Eddy Furniss to become the SEC’s all-time hits leader, finishing his college career with 383 hits, fourth in NCAA history. He also became the only two-time winner of the C Spire Ferriss Trophy and reached the major leagues in 2025 after more than six seasons in the minor leagues, hitting his first MLB home run in his rookie year with the Rays before being traded to the Pirates.
Jake Mangum Career Wins
Jake Mangum has built his professional resume on consistent contact hitting and stolen-base production rather than home-run power. His 40 stolen bases in 2026, combined with his 27 in his rookie season with Tampa Bay, rank among the top totals in his career, and he has continued to produce at a high level in the batter’s box since joining Pittsburgh.
Major League Highlights
Jake Mangum made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays on March 29, 2025, and played 118 games during his rookie season, batting .296 with 27 stolen bases. He hit his first major league home run on May 31, 2025, off Houston’s Kaleb Ort, and was later traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in December 2025, where he has continued to handle regular outfield duties.
Jake Mangum Family
Family Background and Athletic Lineage
Jake Mangum comes from a family with deep ties to professional sports. His father, John Mangum Jr., played college football at Alabama and went on to play defensive back for the Chicago Bears, while his uncle, Kris Mangum, was a tight end for the Carolina Panthers. His grandfather, John “Big John” Mangum Sr., played college football at Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi before joining the Boston Patriots of the American Football League, giving Jake a strong athletic foundation across multiple sports.
Personal Life
Because of his impact on the Mississippi State baseball program, Jake Mangum earned the nickname “the Mayor of Starkville” during his college years. He grew up in Pearl, Mississippi, and continues to be identified with his Mississippi roots.
2025 Season Performance
Jake Mangum began the 2025 season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls before earning his first major league call-up on March 29, 2025, following an injury to Josh Lowe. He took advantage of the opportunity by playing 118 games for the Tampa Bay Rays, batting .296/.330/.368 with three home runs, 40 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases, and he hit his first career home run on May 31, 2025, off the Houston Astros’ Kaleb Ort.
His steady contact hitting and aggressive base running gave the Rays a reliable outfield option during his rookie campaign, and he was added to the 40-man roster before the season to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. After the season, Mangum was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 19, 2025, as part of a three-team deal, opening a new chapter in his major league career.
