Number 1 reason Jake Magnum needs to return to college

[lamont]

he has 8- count them EIGHT- bases on balls in 59 games started. 260+ AB's. Only 8 walks by a munchkin hitter with no power.

Alfonso Soriano Jr

[CadaverDawg]

he has 8- count them EIGHT- bases on balls in 59 games started. 260+ AB's. Only 8 walks by a munchkin hitter with no power.

Alfonso Soriano Jr

And he was leading off a majority of those ab's, which makes that # even more ridiculous. Damn, I knew it was low, but EIGHT all year? It's amazing he isn't hitting a buck 20 with a stat like that.

[I seen it dawg]

I can't believe anyone would draft him this year before round 15

[msstate7]

I get what you mean, but Soriano could mash. He had lots of pop, which mangum has none. I like mangum's hit tool, but he needs to improve base stealing and patience at plate. Might even need to explore pitching some... 90+ from left side could end up being his strength if he can develop secondary pitch

[lamont]

I get what you mean, but Soriano could mash. He had lots of pop, which mangum has none. I like mangum's hit tool, but he needs to improve base stealing and patience at plate. Might even need to explore pitching some... 90+ from left side could end up being his strength if he can develop secondary pitch

The Soriano comparision is strictly in that both swing at damn near every pitch thrown to the plate

[msstate7]

The Soriano comparision is strictly in that both swing at damn near every pitch thrown to the plate
Gotcha. Going off memory of Soriano, it's valid too

[Dawg61]

Vladimir Guerrero's last season he had 17 bb's in over 550 abs, that's Mangum minus any sense of power

[msstate7]

Vladimir Guerrero's last season he had 17 bb's in over 550 abs, that's Mangum minus any sense of power

Elite power buys you some forgiveness for no patience

[Dawg61]

Elite power buys you some forgiveness for no patience

Apparently hitting .400 and winning the SEC batting title buys you an entire year of patience too, put Mangum in front of Rooker that'll atleast guarantee him a couple more fastballs

[HSVDawg]

he has 8- count them EIGHT- bases on balls in 59 games started. 260+ AB's. Only 8 walks by a munchkin hitter with no power.

Alfonso Soriano Jr

The question is does returning to college guarantee he'll be more patient at the plate? That is something that can just as easily be taught in the minors as it can in college. Also, just FYI his walk / HBP % is about the same as it was last year (24 in 275 PA vs. 19 in 226 PA). The biggest difference with this season is he just hasn't been as lucky. BABIP has dropped .081 from last season (.449 to .368). That is a way bigger factor than the lack of walks because as evidenced above his approach really isn't any different from last season.

All that being said, I think Mangum's stock probably dropped a bit this season. However, he is still likely a Top 10 round pick. So more than likely, it will all depend on how much money he is offered. Guess we'll see.

[Lumpy Chucklelips]

I've been as critical of Mangum as the most critical on here. drives me crazy watching him swing at that first pitch no matter where it is. But the hand injury did have an apparent affect on him. Or else it was perfect timing as he was hitting .420 after that Kentucky series and has batted .239 since.

The good news is that he will still have leverage if he comes back for another year. Bad news is that he can make the same or probably more adjustments if he goes pro. One question I have is can he gain more muscle weight. He needs some meat on those bones. He'll get bigger as he matures, but just how much.

Having said all that, he'll get his shot in the majors. Only question is when will that start.

[yjnkdawg]

Last year Mangum swung and connected on a good many pitches that were out of the strike zone for hits. This year that batting philosophy has not worked as well.

[Ari Gold]

League play
Less than .300
2 ****ing walks ..

[Dawg61]

2 ****ing walks ..

Uggggggly

[Todd4State]

Last year Mangum swung and connected on a good many pitches that were out of the strike zone for hits. This year that batting philosophy has not worked as well.

That might be where the hand injury comes in. It has to be a lot harder on him swinging at pitches that aren't in the area code with a broken bone.

[dawgs]

The question is does returning to college guarantee he'll be more patient at the plate? That is something that can just as easily be taught in the minors as it can in college. Also, just FYI his walk / HBP % is about the same as it was last year (24 in 275 PA vs. 19 in 226 PA). The biggest difference with this season is he just hasn't been as lucky. BABIP has dropped .081 from last season (.449 to .368). That is a way bigger factor than the lack of walks because as evidenced above his approach really isn't any different from last season.

All that being said, I think Mangum's stock probably dropped a bit this season. However, he is still likely a Top 10 round pick. So more than likely, it will all depend on how much money he is offered. Guess we'll see.

If you go into a season expecting to have a BABIP of .450 to have a successful season, that's a problem. That number is simply unsustainable over the long run.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Mangum - 8 walks and 254 AB (MSU 2017)
Hunter Renfroe - 17 walks and 204 AB (Padres 2017)

And we've all talked about Renfroe's inability to walk. It puts perspective on just how impatient Mangum has been.

[bulldogcountry1]

1. So MSU baseball will be better.

[BB30]

The fact that mangum puts some of the balls in play that he does is really impressive. I think he definitely needs to come back and refine some things. If he wants to improve his stock he has got to become better on the base paths and learn how to take bags. A switch hitter that can run and is above average defensively will always be a hot commodity. I still don't see him going in the top 7-8 rounds and he still has a year of leverage left. I don't see his stock falling from where it is now regardless of the season he has next year due to his tools.so imo coming back he can only improve it unless of course he has a serious injury.

[HSVDawg]

If you go into a season expecting to have a BABIP of .450 to have a successful season, that's a problem. That number is simply unsustainable over the long run.

Define "successful season". Mangum has been regarded as having the let down season of the century, yet still hit .320 while playing through a hand injury for 50% of the year. He could have easily had another elite year (although not as good of a year as last season) with a BABIP around .400 or so. The key point is that the only major change was the hand injury. He took the same approach at the plate as last year and had around the same strikeout ratio as well. He was swinging at pitches out of the zone and still hitting them. But chances are he may have been not getting as much bat leverage due to the injury, or he was early or late on some of the pitches for the same reason and ended up hitting more balls to 2B / SS instead of going straight up the box.

[LC Dawg]

If Mangum's hand injury is what is hurting his production then his decision to punch a wall, because he was happy I might add, really screwed us down the stretch.

[lamont]

Mangum - 8 walks and 254 AB (MSU 2017)
Hunter Renfroe - 17 walks and 204 AB (Padres 2017)

And we've all talked about Renfroe's inability to walk. It puts perspective on just how impatient Mangum has been.

great point

[yjnkdawg]

That might be where the hand injury comes in. It has to be a lot harder on him swinging at pitches that aren't in the area code with a broken bone.


Good point, Todd.

[The Federalist Engineer]

The question is does returning to college guarantee he'll be more patient at the plate? That is something that can just as easily be taught in the minors as it can in college. Also, just FYI his walk / HBP % is about the same as it was last year (24 in 275 PA vs. 19 in 226 PA). The biggest difference with this season is he just hasn't been as lucky. BABIP has dropped .081 from last season (.449 to .368). That is a way bigger factor than the lack of walks because as evidenced above his approach really isn't any different from last season.
All that being said, I think Mangum's stock probably dropped a bit this season. However, he is still likely a Top 10 round pick. So more than likely, it will all depend on how much money he is offered. Guess we'll see.

As your draft position slides, your chances of making it to MLB take a big hit. 60% of first round players play in the majors but a single digit percentage of round 11 and above make MLB rosters. Huge difference between round 11 to round 20.

Above round 20, you are a lottery ticket that must pay off quickly or they replace you with next lottery ticket or a 28-year-old Cuban.

Mangum is probably better off at MSU in 2018 if he is not a top-5 pick, given his potential

[Ari Gold]

0-1 pitch count is better than 0-1 at the plate ..