Pirates' Brandon Lowe Raves About Jake Mangum

Lowe also said that no one is going to outwork Mangum at the plate, in the outfield or on the base paths, as he's excited to see him both on defense and as an important hitter for the Pirates in 2026.

"But I would be hard pressed to find somebody with more heart and more drive to want to give you everything that he has than Mangum. He's gonna run hard on every single play, doesn't matter if he chops it back to the pitcher or if he hits it off the wall. It feels like he's gonna give you the same amount of effort on everything," he said."

"And he's gonna play an unbelievable outfield when he's out there. If last year was any cue to what he's gonna do, that means he's gonna hit .300, he's gonna steal a lot of bags, and he's going to be a heck of a piece in this lineup," Lowe continued.

What the Pirates Get in Jake Mangum

Mangum turns 30 years old next season, but it will only mark his second year in the major leagues, after a long time spent in the minors. He joined the Rays on Dec. 8, 2023 after the Miami Marlins traded him there, where he spent one season after the New York Mets traded him on Dec. 7, 2022, who originally drafted him out of Mississippi State in 2019.

Mangum had a strong season from the plate in 2025, showing his great play as a contact hitter and using his speed to get more hits.

Mangum had 27 stolen bases on 33 attempts and he ranked in the 91st percentile in sprint speed in 2025. He had a strong season defensively as well, with six outs above average and five runs saved, plus three defensive runs saved, making him a versatile option in the outfield for the Pirates.

The Pirates need more home runs and power, which they got in Lowe, but also needed a hitter like Mangum, who gets on base and gives them a chance to score runs.

Pittsburgh finished last in runs scored (583) and had the third worst batting average in 2025 (.231), making someone like Mangum valuable.

Mangum isn't inherently going to take over as the starting left fielder for the Pirates in 2025, but having him is a better option than some of the other outfielders they have on the 40-man roster.

This includes the likes of Esmerlyn Valdez, who hasn't played at Triple-A yet, and Billy Cook, who has played just 19 games. Jack Suwinski struggled mightily from the plate last season and recently acquired outfield prospect Jhostynxon García has just seven at-bats at the major league level.

Mangum played most of his games in left field in 2025, starting 46 of 63 contests there. He also had 30 starts in 41 games played in center field and 26 starts in 32 games played in left field.

It shouldn't come as surprise next season when Mangum plays many games starting in left field for the Pirates, with Oneil Cruz in center field Bryan Reynolds in right field along side him, or even plays in their roles as well, giving them a break when needed.