Minor League Mondays: Jake Mangum could factor into New York Mets’ plans

The New York Mets have built a strong veteran outfield but experience does come with an enhanced risk of injury. Brandon Nimmo missed some time earlier in the season while Starling Marte has had multiple near misses with injuries after getting hit by pitches. The outfield depth at the upper minors has been tested with Khalil Lee and Nick Plummer both spending time with the big club but the Mets do have another intriguing option to serve as a reserve if necessary. That guy is Jake Mangum and he is the focus of this week’s edition of Minor League Mondays.

Minor League Mondays: Jake Mangum

Mangum, the Mets’ 4th-round pick in 2019 out of Mississippi State, is a bit of a throwback as a defensive center fielder whose best hitting attribute is his ability to make contact. The Mets saw Mangum produce last season as he hit .285 with nine home runs, 47 RBI and 14 stolen bases between High-A Brooklyn and AA Binghamton, but his lack of pop seemed to put him lower on the organizational depth chart. The new hitting approach the organization has adopted seems to be a better fit for Mangum, who began this season with Binghamton before earning a quick promotion to AAA Syracuse.

Magnum Among Mets Top Prospects

Overall, Mangum is batting .298 between the two levels and has racked up eight stolen bases in 42 games. The power likely won’t come for Mangum but he does have a skill set that will play at the big league-level thanks to his ability to defend in center field, a strong arm, plus speed and solid contact skills. MLB.com has rated Mangum as the Mets’ 22nd best prospect in large part due to his age. Mangum is 26 years old now and if the power doesn’t develop this season it likely never will, likely limiting him to a fourth or fifth outfield role at the big league level.

This niche is usually filled on the big league roster by Travis Jankowski, who has missed time with a foot injury, but Mangum could fill that role internally as soon as next season. Expect the Mets to keep Mangum with Syracuse for the remainder of this season as he works to continue refining his approach at the plate to become a more multi-dimensional threat in terms of extra-base hits. There may not be star potential for Mangum but he has the ability to be a solid contributor for the Mets in the near future.