D1 Baseball on Mangum

[AusTexDawg]

Nice profile of Jake Mangum from Kendall Rogers.

http://www.d1baseball.com/columns/jakemangumfeat042616/

Ben McDonald may actually be correct, at least when, during the Gov's Cup telecast, he said Mangum was the obvious candidate for SEC Freshman of the Year.

[msstate7]

Where was mangum rated as a recruit?

[AlmostPositive]

Conventional wisdom would suggest Mississippi State?s Jake Mangum should be in an Alabama uniform right now. After all, he was committed there at one point, and his father, John, was a starting defensive back for the Crimson Tide football team from 1986-89, and was a sixth-round pick to the Chicago Bears in the NFL draft.

But Mangum didn?t want to plot an expected, orthodox, path. He calls himself a Mississippi boy at heart and wanted to take his talents out of high school to an in-state program with hopes of guiding his home state to a national championship.

There?s much that must happen for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, ranked No. 4 nationally, to win a national title, but the team is once again trending the right direction after a road series win over LSU, and Mangum is a big reason for that, transitioning himself into the nation?s elite freshman outside of Clemson?s Seth Beer, while also already earning ?elite? status from opposing coaches in the Southeastern Conference.

Mangum is in elite company, and that all seems somewhat surprising until you spend 10 minutes talking to the confident, but cool and gritty, 6-foot, 185-pounder. For some reason, it just seems to come natural for this freshman and one of the most exciting players in college baseball.

?I think about it like this [about his mentality], you?re going to get four or five plate appearances a game and you have to run 90 feet. Think about that for a second,? Mangum said. ?If you can?t give 100 percent for 90 feet five times a game, I don?t think you should be out there.?

That?s the type of attitude Mangum plays with 100-percent of the time, and it has set the foundation for his rise up the national ranks already in his fruitful, young career.

[maroonmania]

Where was mangum rated as a recruit?

I don't know but I wasn't even thinking he was rated in the top half of our recruiting class. Certainly wasn't a player that was ever a draft risk. Amazed at how good he's been as a true freshman.

[msstate7]

I love this kid

[DancingRabbit]

Ha, he just tweeted out "Our State"

He's gonna be a good one.

[Todd4State]

Where was mangum rated as a recruit?

They don't have a star system for baseball, but I don't think he was ever considered a draft risk.

[Todd4State]

Ha, he just tweeted out "Our State"

He's gonna be a good one.

He already is.

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

He's already a good one....Before he leaves Starkville, he's going to be a great one. It's early but if he continues to progress, Mangum could be one of the best we've ever had.

Hail State....Hell Yeah!

[djaymsu5]

Thank God this kid is in Maroon and White. I can see it now, we are in Omaha and Mangum hits a triple down the line off of Miami and he shoots his bow to the dugout. I love it! This kid has the swagger and attitude I want on my team. Like I said he gives his freaking all every pitch of every game. Never takes a game for granted and you just can't coach that.

[CadaverDawg]

Love this guy.

Thank God he's a Dawg, because he's the type of guy you despise if he's playing against you. Haha

[Original48]

By 2018 everybody else in the sec will feel like Mangum has been in college for 12 years.

[Schultzy]

Love watching him play.

Surely when Robson returns it's he and Mangum at the top of the order with Mangum playing RF every day with that cannon of an arm he has.

And I don't care who leads off but it just has to be these two 1-2 every day.

[Big4Dawg]

Robson lead off. Get a single. Steal 2nd. Mangum brings him home. Rinse and repeat.

[mic]

Robson lead off. Get a single. Steal 2nd. Mangum brings him home. Rinse and repeat.

Robson 2 hole...
Jake is ideal lead off hitter...

[MetEdDawg]

Robson 2 hole...
Jake is ideal lead off hitter...

I think they are actually pretty interchangeable. They both do things that 1 and 2 hole hitters do. Don't strike out, put the ball in play, can go opposite field for a H&R, high OBP, good speed. When they are on, there isn't a more dangerous 1-2 combo in the SEC.

[CadaverDawg]

Robson 2 hole...
Jake is ideal lead off hitter...

At first I wasn't sure about Robson in the 2 hole, but now I agree. Cohen is going to be tempted to bunt or hit and run whoever is in the 2 hole between those two when the first one reaches....so I would rather him take the bat out of Robson's hands than Mangum's. Only because Mangum doesn't rely on so many infield singles, and has seemed pretty clutch. Plus, Robson is a good bunter for the most part.

[Original48]

At first I wasn't sure about Robson in the 2 hole, but now I agree. Cohen is going to be tempted to bunt or hit and run whoever is in the 2 hole between those two when the first one reaches....so I would rather him take the bat out of Robson's hands than Mangum's. Only because Mangum doesn't rely on so many infield singles, and has seemed pretty clutch. Plus, Robson is a good bunter for the most part.
I was thinking along these lines as well. Ton of options with Robson in the two hole that puts pressure on the defense..bunt, bunt for hit, fake bunt and slash, hit and run, swing away. And I realize there's not much difference between one and two hitters as far as plate appearances but nobody needs more opportunities at the plate than Mangum.

[miketice]

Where was mangum rated as a recruit? Stolen from Jean

Jake Mangum, LHP/OF, 6-foot-0, 175, S-L, Jackson Prep (MS)
His honors include being selected a 2015 Louisville Slugger High School Baseball Preseason All-American 1st Team selection, a 2015 Perfect Game Preseason Senior High Honorable Mention All-American. a 2014 Underclass All-American Team as a High Honorable Mention selection and to the 2013 Perfect Game Underclass All-American Team as an honorable mention selection. He was also named to the Perfect Game 2013 World Wood Bat Association 16U National Championship All-Tournament team after batting .522 in the event... As a senior, he batted .504 with 2 home runs and 41 RBI. On the mound he was 8-0 with 4 saves and a 1.48 ERA. During his junior season (2014) he hit .457 with 1 home run and 17 RBI. He was 16 of 16 in stolen base attempts. On the mound he was 4-1 with 1 save and a 2.25 ERA. He struck out 36 in 18.2 innings ... As a sophomore, he hit .414 with with 37 RBI, 6 doubles, 4 triples and 1 home run. He also stole 20 bases. Pitching-wise, he was 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA and struck out 50 hitters in 30.2 innings ... Plays for one of the elite travel teams, the Dulin Dodgers ... Chose Mississippi State over offers from Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss.