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3/9/21

Player Profile - Jake Mangum



In honor of his birthday yesterday, here is a look at Mets Prospect, Jake Mangum.

Background, Stats, Videos.

Background: 

CF/RF, Bats Both, Throws Left, DOB 3/8/1996, 4th round, 2019 Draft.  According to FanGraphs, he will be Rule 5 Draft eligible in December 2022.



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 in Brooklyn in 2019? 

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 was my #5 "Alternative" prospect last year.  

SNY.TV recently had Jake as their #17 prospect saying “I believe Mangum is an underappreciated prospect in this system, in part because he’s older (he will be 25 in March). The all-time SEC hits leader at Mississippi State was drafted by the Mets in the 4th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He has filled out and hit for some power at the instructional league. He can play center field and runs the bases well. I look at Mangum as a guy who profiles as a fourth outfielder with upside to be a bit more on the offensive side. He is a big-time gamer, leave it all on the field type. MLB ETA: 2022”

Amazing Avenue recently said this about Jake: “He is aggressive at the plate, but like the stolen bases, has improved on working deeper counts and drawing walks. In the outfield, Mangum is an average-to-above-average defender in center. He possesses plenty of range in thanks to his excellent speed, and his routes have refined since his earlier college days. In addition, he possesses a strong arm as well, even pitching a few innings for Mississippi State in 2017."

Here is Jake Mangum’s FANGRAPHS page.

Per Baseball Savant: he sprays the ball all around the diamond. 



For 2021, it would just be good to see Jake back on the field.  Typically, after a year in Brooklyn, players would spend the next year in full season Low A or High A - this year Jake would have been ticketed for Binghamton.  Missing the 2020 season may change that.  My prediction is that he starts out in High A Brooklyn with a promotion to Binghamton later in the year.

Stats:

Hitting -


Fielding -



2019 Batting Splits -



Videos:

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

Video: Coney Convos with Jake Mangum and Antoine Duplantis.







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9 comments:

  1. Tom BrennanMarch 9, 2021 at 10:33 AM

    Very nice Mangum write up - keep them coming.

    Mangum is not 25 - thru no fault of his own, 2020 vanished. He has to step on the accelerator.

    He had almost no power in college, a big minus - I hope he added muscle like McNeil so successfully did in transforming himself from a skinny kid to a MLB average power hitter.

    Mangum, knowing he most likely will always be a below-average power dude, should emulate Bunting Brett Butler. Bunting successfully will be Mangum's best friend. I see him as a Kevin Kaczmarski ceiling if he does not do those two things.

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  2. TexasGusCCMarch 9, 2021 at 11:23 AM

    I disagree Tom. I’m not a fan of being in love with the bunt. It can be used here and there, but at most that. He needs to swing the bat and hopefully hurt a baseball. I agree with working out to put on some muscle, but also looking to hammer a pitch instead of just slapping it is very important. Your legs play a role as well as your loft.

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  3. AnonymousMarch 9, 2021 at 11:36 AM

    I am trying to remember an old, first-round draft pick by the Mets who profiled as a leadoff batter, center fielder. He had NO POWER. I mean, zero. Believe he made it to the majors, briefly.

    It was a classic mistake pick when they drafted for "need" rather than best available talent.

    Man, I hated that pick.

    Magnum's under .300 SLG in Brooklyn must be addressed or he has no future.

    I feel for these guys who really needed a 2020 season.

    Jimmy

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  4. AnonymousMarch 9, 2021 at 11:59 AM

    Jason Tyner!

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  5. John From AlbanyMarch 9, 2021 at 12:59 PM

    If he only hits singles, he won't make it but I think he can make it if he hits doubles and triples. The ability to hit with 2 outs and RISP is something we sorely need in Flushing. Interestingly, Fonzie often slotted Jake in the 6th or 7th position to give him RBI opportunities instead of hitting him 1st or 2nd.

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  6. AnonymousMarch 9, 2021 at 2:14 PM

    One problem is that the walks really dry up if you are not a dangerous hitter. A pitcher would have to be really, really bad to walk a guy like Tyner, who can't hurt you.

    Magnum slugged .297 in Brooklyn. He's going to need to pick that up, which will in turn help the OBA w/ additional walks.

    I am not a big believer in RISP as a repeatable stat, more of a small sample size number that fluctuates wildly from year to year. In retrospect, it might explain some things, but as a predictive stat, I personally don't find it particularly meaningful.

    Jimmy

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  7. John From AlbanyMarch 9, 2021 at 2:48 PM

    Interesting Jimmy. What do you think of the ability of a player to consistently drive in runs on outs? Two prospects in the Mets system do that very well. Most players on the current Mets roster do not. It will be interesting to see if the ones that do it well in the minors continue to do it as they move up the line.

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  8. Tom BrennanMarch 9, 2021 at 5:49 PM

    Mangum is listed at 6'1", 179. GOTTA get that weight up to a muscular 195-200. McNeil added 35 pounds. TJ Rivera beefed up a lot. Guillorme added muscle after his early very low power minors career. Gotta add muscle. This era's game puts a premium on power.

    I think back to starting college. I was 5'10, 135. A friend of mine was into lifting weights, so we hit the universal machine. By Christmas break, I had more than doubled my bench press weigh and weighed 155. Felt so much stronger. Mangum hopefully has added 20 pounds of muscle.

    Gus, I agree. Bunting as much as Butler would be crazy unless he was also a bunting genius, but a speedy guy like Mangum, until he taps into power, needs all the tricks to try to set himself apart.

    As powerless as Jason Tyner was (a HR every 1350 career PAs), he hit .298 in the minors. He also was 6'1", just 170. But he was fast, and did get up pretty effectively in the majors over about 1500 PAs. Hard to do that.

    You have to ask yourself: why is Crow in camp and Mangum is not. Mangum needs to ask himself the same question.

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  9. Mack AdeMarch 9, 2021 at 7:23 PM

    He wasn't even invited to camp.

    His advanced age is really working against him.

    Add no power and... well... there is always Japan.

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