John Romano: The Jake Mangum tale, from a nobody to a fan favorite to an ex-Ray

John Romano, Tampa Bay Times on Mar 3, 2026

Published in Baseball

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BRADENTON, Fla. — Maybe it was the backstory.

The tale of a nondescript prospect who, in back-to-back years, was the classic “player to be named later” in trades and was already 29 by the time he made his major-league debut.

Maybe it was the way he played.

A mix of intensity and joy that seemed impossible to fabricate. The dirty uniform and schoolboy smile could be seen from every seat in the ballpark.

Maybe it was just the impact.

At a time when most of Tampa Bay’s outfielders were in bed or wearing bandages, he showed up and hit .338 in his first month in the big leagues. By season’s end, he had been named the team’s co-Rookie of the Year with Chandler Simpson.

Maybe it was all of that, and more.

Whatever the reason, Jake Mangum was the rare player who went from unknown to Tampa Bay favorite in the span of six months and three home runs.

“It was awesome,” Mangum said Monday after batting practice. “Last year was great. Got an opportunity to play in the big leagues, so for the rest of my life I’ll have a Tampa Bay Rays jersey hanging in the house. Loved my time there.”

And then, just as quickly, he was gone.

Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates a week before Christmas along with Brandon Lowe and Mason Montgomery in a three-way deal that brought Jacob Melton to Tampa Bay.

Why did the Rays do it?

Why trade a guy who hit .296 as a rookie and was 27 of 33 in stolen bases? A guy who started 25 or more games at all three outfield positions?

There are a lot of reasons, some you might understand and others you might scoff at.

As popular as he was in the bleachers, Mangum’s skills were limited. He didn’t strike out much, but he didn’t draw walks, either. He hit .296, but his OPS was below league average. He had tremendous speed but is already just days away from his 30th birthday.

Mostly, as a switch-hitter he was more productive from the left side of the plate, and the Rays had a greater need for right-handed hitters.

Not that they didn’t appreciate what he accomplished at a time when Tampa Bay’s outfield was in shambles.

“He played with a lot of energy,” said manager Kevin Cash. “I felt like some of our best offensive stretches was him and Chandler creating havoc on the bases, putting balls in play, a lot of pressure on the defense. A guy who waited a long time — maybe too long — to come up and show that he’s a major-league player.

“Give Jake a lot of credit. He continued to get better. He continued to learn as the league was learning (about) him.”

Mangum took that mindset to the offseason, where he spent time playing long toss with his father, John — who played parts of nine seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears — to build up arm strength for throws from the outfield. He also worked on developing a little more force in his swing (his bat speed in 2025 was in the bottom 3 percentile, according to Baseball Savant) to complement his bat-to-ball hitting style.

The assumption was Mangum would be a swing outfielder for the Pirates, but he’s turned enough heads this spring to at least be in contention for a starting job.

“Wherever they have me, they have me. They told me to be ready to play all three outfield positions, and that’s where I feel like I bring value to a team,” Mangum said. “I don’t care, I just want to help this team win ballgames. It’s exciting. Everyone in Pittsburgh is excited about this year, about what they’re building.”

If his stay in Tampa Bay was brief, the reminders will linger. From his choice of walk-up music (The Outfield’s “Your Love”), to his second big-league game when he got the first four hits of his career and fans were chanting his name as he came to the plate in the eighth inning.

“That was something I’ll never forget,” Mangum said. “Everyone in Tampa was super kind. So many sellouts in Steinbrenner (Field). A tough year with the atmosphere, the heat and all that, but the fans showed up, they were there for us. So, I’ve got a lot of thankfulness for the fans. They were super kind to me and super welcoming.”

Was that connection with fans a byproduct of the way Mangum played?

“Man, I’m just trying to play hard and represent whatever team I’m playing for, well,” he said. “If they like it, then great. If they don’t, I’m trying to play better, don’t worry.”

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