Sportsvival has always loved players who bring more to the game than just numbers. Jake Mangum is one of those guys. He is a switch-hitting outfielder, a former Mississippi State legend, an SEC record-holder, and now a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when you listen to Mangum talk about his journey, what stands out most is not just the hits, the draft calls, or the big-league moments. It is the path, the patience, and the love for the game that carried him from Mississippi, to Starkville, to professional baseball, and now to Pittsburgh.
Mangum was born Jake Thomas Mangum on March 8, 1996, in Flowood, Mississippi. He grew up in Pearl and attended Jackson Prep, where he became one of the best all-around athletes in the state. Before he became a Mississippi State icon, Mangum was a high school star who helped Jackson Prep win state championships and built a reputation as a player who could impact the game in multiple ways.
At Jackson Prep, Mangum was not just a hitter. He was also a pitcher. As a senior, he hit .504 and went 8-0 on the mound with a 1.48 ERA. That fits perfectly with what Mangum told Sportsvival when asked about his high school days.
Sportsvival asked Mangum if he pitched in high school or just hit.
Mangum said, “I pitched every year of high school, and I also pitched at Mississippi State my sophomore season when we had a bunch of injuries.”
That answer tells you a lot about Mangum. He was never just a one-tool player. He was a baseball player. If his team needed him to hit, he hit. If his team needed him to pitch, he pitched. If his team needed energy, he brought it.
Sportsvival asked Mangum if he played other sports besides baseball growing up.
Mangum said, “Yes, soccer, basketball, football. I played everything.”
That multi-sport background makes sense when you look at his family. His father, John Mangum, played defensive back at Alabama and later spent nine seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears. His uncle Kris Mangum also played in the NFL, and his grandfather John Mangum Sr. played professional football as well. Football was part of the family story, but baseball became Jake’s road.
Sportsvival asked, “When did you realize baseball was your sport?”
Mangum said, “After my freshman year, I loved baseball and wanted to dedicate myself year-round to it.”
That decision changed everything.
Mangum was originally committed to Alabama. That made sense. His father played football there, and Mangum grew up around that Alabama connection. But Mangum eventually decided that Mississippi State was where he belonged. He wanted to stay home, play in the state of Mississippi, and be part of a baseball culture that meant something to him. Once he arrived in Starkville, he did not just become a good player. He became one of the greatest players in Mississippi State history.
As a freshman in 2016, Mangum hit .408, led the SEC in batting average, and was named SEC Freshman of the Year. He also won the Ferriss Trophy, given to the top college baseball player in Mississippi, becoming the first freshman to win the award. From the moment he stepped on campus, Mangum looked like a player who belonged.
From there, Mangum just kept hitting.
He finished his Mississippi State career with 383 hits, making him the all-time hits leader in both Mississippi State and SEC history. He also finished fourth all-time in NCAA history in career hits. At Mississippi State, Mangum piled up 112 multi-hit games, 262 games played, 73 doubles, 229 runs scored, 56 stolen bases, and a .357 career batting average.
His senior year in 2019 was another record-breaking season. Mangum set the Mississippi State single-season hits record with 108. That came after he had 101 hits as a junior in 2018, making him one of the rare SEC players to post back-to-back 100-hit seasons.
He was not just a hit collector either. Mangum helped Mississippi State reach the College World Series in both 2018 and 2019. He was a three-time First Team All-SEC selection, a two-time Ferriss Trophy winner, a Rawlings Gold Glove winner, and one of the most beloved players to ever wear a Mississippi State uniform. In Starkville, he earned the nickname “The Mayor” because everyone knew him, everyone loved him, and everyone respected the way he played the game.
Sportsvival asked Mangum about being a switch hitter and where that started.
Mangum said, “I was right-handed. I started batting left-handed as a 12-year-old.”
That became a huge part of who he was as a player. Mangum could put pressure on defenses from both sides of the plate, use his speed, handle the bat, and find ways to get on base. His game was never built around trying to hit the ball 500 feet. It was built around competing, spraying line drives, running, defending, and making life difficult on the other team.
Sportsvival also asked if there was a chance he would get drafted out of high school.
Mangum said, “No, I was a small kid and had no chance of getting selected out of high school.”
That makes the rest of his story even better.
Mangum was eventually drafted three different times. The New York Yankees selected him in the 30th round in 2017. The New York Mets selected him in the 32nd round in 2018. Then, after his senior season at Mississippi State, the Mets selected him again in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Sportsvival asked, “Do you remember the phone call you received when you were selected?”
Mangum said, “Yes, all three of them.”
That is a great answer because most players dream of getting one draft call. Mangum got three. The first two times, he chose to go back to Mississippi State. The third time, after finishing one of the greatest careers in program history, he signed with the Mets.
Sportsvival also asked if he had a party during the draft his senior year.
Mangum said, “No, we had Super Regional practice.”
That answer is exactly why Mississippi State fans loved him. Even on draft day, the focus was still on the team. Still on the next game. Still on getting back to Omaha.
After signing with the Mets, Mangum worked his way through the minor leagues. His pro path was not easy. He spent time in the Mets system, later moved to the Marlins organization, then to the Rays, and finally made his Major League debut with Tampa Bay on March 30, 2025.
His first big-league hit came in style. In just his second Major League game, Mangum went 4-for-4 against the Pirates, recording his first MLB hit while also driving in runs and stealing bases. It was the kind of night that showed exactly what he could be: a contact hitter, a baserunner, and a player who can bring energy to a lineup.
In 2025, Mangum put together a strong rookie season with Tampa Bay. He hit .296 with 27 stolen bases, giving the Rays a player who could handle the bat, defend, run, and do the little things that help teams win games.
Then came the move to Pittsburgh. On December 19, 2025, the Pirates acquired Mangum, Brandon Lowe, and left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade. For Pittsburgh, Mangum brought a different type of value to the roster. He was not coming in as a player who needed to be judged only by home runs. He was coming in as a switch hitter who could handle the outfield, put the ball in play, run the bases, and bring toughness to the club.
That is what makes Mangum such an easy player for Pittsburgh fans to appreciate. He plays with edge. He plays with energy. He plays like every at-bat matters. He is the kind of player who can beat you with a line drive, a bunt, a stolen base, a diving catch, or simply by refusing to give away an at-bat.
There are players who arrive in the big leagues with hype, and there are players who arrive with a story. Jake Mangum has both a story and a résumé. He was the kid who once had “no chance” to be drafted out of high school. He became the all-time hits king at Mississippi State and in the SEC. He turned down draft calls to finish what he started in Starkville. He made it to the Major Leagues after years of grinding. Now, he is wearing a Pirates uniform and bringing that same Mississippi State toughness to Pittsburgh.
For Sportsvival, this is exactly the kind of player worth spotlighting. Jake Mangum is not just another name on the roster. He is a ballplayer’s ballplayer, a switch hitter, a competitor, a former college legend, and someone who has earned everything the hard way.
If not for sports, how would we survive?