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Jake Mangum Adjusting to Pro Ball With the Cyclones

By Jacob Resnick

July 15, 2019 No comments

Recently, it’s been difficult to tell which is the bigger rollercoaster on Coney Island: the world-famous Cyclone, located just steps from MCU Park, or the first two weeks in the professional career of Jake Mangum, the speedy center fielder for the Cyclones — the baseball team.

Through 12 games Mangum is hitting .250, boosted by a two-hit effort in Brooklyn’s (16-13) 4-1 win over the West Virginia Black Bears (15-14) on Sunday. It was just his third such performance with the Cyclones, an unusual sight for those who saw him record at least two hits in 42 percent of his games over four years at Mississippi State.

Despite the lack of immediate results, Mangum has been taking this new experience one day at a time, not letting one game’s outcome dictate the next.

“I knew this summer was going to be a really difficult one,” Mangum said. “Four years in college and then to just flip a switch. It’s a culture shock for me.”

What does he tell himself to stay mentally sharp throughout the ups and downs of this transition?

“Just compete. Just go out there, play the game you always have, and good things will happen.”

Even if he isn’t putting up outrageous offensive numbers, Mangum can affect the game in a multitude of ways. It would be accurate to describe him as a pest on the basepaths, and he can be mistaken for a vacuum in center field. Mangum was busy in the outfield on Sunday, running down balls that necessitated deep runs into the left and right field power alleys.

“Endy [Chavez] told me I had nine putouts today, and I don’t think I’ve ever had that many. There was a lot of action out there today,” Mangum said with a laugh, perhaps out of exhaustion.

Three games above .500 with 40 percent of the season completed, Brooklyn is just one game behind McNamara Division leader Hudson Valley. A Mangum breakout could jumpstart a run that could get the Cyclones over the hump.

As manager Edgardo Alfonzo put it simply, “When he’s going, we’re going.”