2019 Draft - Mets Pick 4.118 - OF Jake Magnum

With the 118th pick (4^th round) in the 2019 draft, the New York Mets picked Mississippi State OF, Jake Magnum.

(Mack – huge slap bat here)

2019 Stats:  62-G, 280-AB. .357/.415/.468, 1-HR. 39-RBI, only 22-K

Mississippi Today - Let’s get this out of the way first: If I ran a Major League team’s front office, I’d draft Jake Mangum early and pay him what it takes to sign him.

I love the way Mangum plays. I love the way he competes. I love the way he wins. Can’t wait to see him play this weekend when Mississippi State takes on Vanderbilt in an NCAA Super Regional at Nashville. Mangum is at his best when it matters most, so he should be special at Vandy.

Says his former coach, John Cohen, now the Mississippi State athletic director, “When all is said and done, Jake Mangum is just a winner. He’s a ballplayer who does whatever it takes to win. At the plate and on the bases, he puts a lot of pressure on the other team’s defense. Defensively, he shrinks the field. Plus, he makes the other players around him better because of the way he approaches and plays the game.”

That’s all true. On the one hand, Mangum produces runs with his hitting and base running. On the other hand, his defense in centerfield often keeps the other team from scoring. He turns doubles and triples into outs.

Hail State - Career Notes & Records

Draft: Chosen in the 32nd round of the 2018 MLB First Year Player Draft by the New York Mets…Selected by the New York Yankees in the 30th round of the 2017 MLB First Year Player Draft.

Career: Owns a hit in 146 of 176 games started (82.9%), 154 of 191 games with at least one plate appearances (80.6%) and 154 of 195 games played (78.9%)…Has reached base in 159 of 176 games started (90.3%), 169 of 191 games with at least one plate appearances (88.5%) and 169 of 195 games played (86.6%)…Needs 78 hits to become the all-time hits leader in Southeastern Conference history, chasing LSU’s Eddy Furniss (352; 1995-98) for the top spot…Just 61 hits shy of the Mississippi State hits record that is held by Jeffrey Rea (335; 2004-07)…Ranks No. 11 on the Mississippi State career batting average charts (.356)…Is tied for No. 8 in career hits (275) by a Bulldog…Needs 57 games player to take over the top spot on Mississippi State’s games played charts, chasing Burke Masters (251; 1987-90).

Season: 2018: Recorded 288 at bats to rank No. 2 all-time in Bulldog single season history…His 101 hits are one of just five 100-hit seasons in Mississippi State history, ranking No. 4 in the single-season record books…Sits tied for No. 8 in single-season history with 22 doubles…The 68 games played ranked tied for No. 10 in Mississippi State history. 2017: Totaled 278 at bats, which ranks tied for No. 7 in a single season at Mississippi State. 2016: Hit .408 for the season (84-for-206) to rank No. 7 on the single-season batting charts sat MSU.