Former Mississippi State baseball star Jake Mangum has been one of the best stories in Major League Baseball this season. The 29-year old rookie has been outstanding for the Tampa Bay Rays, consistently making big plays and delivering in key moments.
He provided the Rays with another incredible play on Wednesday. With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, down 2-0 to the Athletics, "The Mayor" showed off the wheels with this inside the park home run, his second home run of his rookie season.
🚨 INSIDE-THE-PARK HOMER🚨
— MLB (@MLB) July 2, 2025
Jake Mangum circles the bases ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/gHZmY7K6au
Jake's all-out effort proved pivotal for the Rays. They ended up defeating the A's 6-5, so without Mangum's sprint around the bases, Tampa Bay may not have come away with the win.
It doesn't come as a surprise that someone that runs as hard and fast as Mangum could pull off an inside the park home run, but it does come as somewhat of a surprise that in his four years at Mississippi State, Mangum never had an inside the park homer. His five career homers in Starkville were all of the traditional variety.
Of course his base-running ability was still on full display during his time at State with 56 stolen bases, 10 triples, and countless instances of beating out throws to first on ground balls. Now that base-running and play-making prowess is in action in the big leagues.
To no one's surprise, Jake Mangum is having an outstanding season for the Rays
Jake Mangum has spent his rookie season proving Mississippi State fans right. Those of us who watched his career in Starkville have always known what he was capable of on the diamond, and now that he's getting his shot in the Show, he's letting the whole country know.
Mangum is batting .313 with 27 RBI. He's got a .349 on-base percentage, has hit eight doubles, and has stolen 11 bases. Where Jake's truly excelled is hitting when the Rays have runners in scoring position. He leads the MLB with a .449 average in those spots.
Jake Mangum hasn't just been a flash in the pan. He's been a consistently good player for Tampa Bay and is making a case as an All-Rookie performer this season. Mangum continues to prove he belongs in the big leagues.