John from Albany - The Alternative 50 Mets Prospects, #5, Jake Mangum

An Alternative 50 Prospects list to try and highlight different prospects and in different orders than all the other prospect lists out there.  Except for one, maybe two, none of the next five are on anyone else’s top five lists.  Some are not even on other’s top 25 lists! 

I have personally seen all of these next five play.  I look forward to seeing them play next year in Binghamton and Syracuse and hope to see them play one day in Flushing. 

#5: Jake Mangum, CF/RF, Bats Both, Throws Left, DOB 3/8/1996, 4th round, 2019 Draft. 

The Mets really liked Jake.  So much, they had to draft him twice (2018 and 2019) before he signed last year.  Jake also was drafted by the Yankees in 2017 but chose to stay in college.

Here is what Mack said the day Jake was drafted: “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.”

Jake is a future Mets leader.  Per Baseball America: after his team was eliminated in the College World Series, Jake “made an impassioned plea for more scholarships and to pass legislation approving a third full-time assistant coach for baseball.” 

“Mangum is one of the biggest stars in college baseball—he’s an All-American and finished his career No. 4 on the Division I all-time hits list. But he later said that he spent the last two years as a walk-on, as Mississippi State tried best to juggle its allotment of 11.7 scholarships.” 

Proof that Jake will do what it takes to help his team win.

How did he do last year in Brooklyn? 

In 53 games, 182 at-bats, 29 runs, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 18 RBIs, .247 BA/ .337 OBP/ .297 SLG.  He also led a team that stole a lot of bases with 17 stolen bases. 

However, the biggest thing about Jake was how he came through in the clutch.  In 33 at bats with 2 outs and a runner in scoring position, Jake excelled hitting .364.  It seemed like he got the big hit for the Cyclones last year time and time again as they won the NY Penn League Championship.

Per Joe DeMayo SNY.TV: “Mangum is a pure hitter, as evidenced by being the all-time SEC hits leader and a true old-school, gritty type of player. He has a perspective that if his jersey isn't dirty then he didn't have the day he wants. He is the type of player who goes 100 percent at all times. Truly that is the type of player the fans will love to root for…

Defensively, Mangum has above-average range and instincts and an above-average arm in center field. I have very little doubt that he will be able to handle center field at the big-league level.”

Mack had Jake as his #13 prospect.

With speed, good center field defense, clutch hitting and the ability to make things happen on the base paths when needed, Jake is my #5 prospect.  

He will most likely go to Columbia or St. Lucie to start the year and who knows, maybe he will wind up in Binghamton towards the end of 2020.

Here is Jake Mangum’s FANGRAPHS page.

Here is Jake Mangum’s Baseball Savant page.

Video of Jake Mangum (July 10 & 12, 2019) vs. Mahoning Valley (Brooklyn, NY).

Video: Coney Convos with Jake Mangum and Antoine Duplantis.