Mangum has also been named a Preseason All-American by three publications.
SEC Coaches Place Mangum On Preseason All-SEC First Team
February 08, 2018 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – After finishing 11th in the Southeastern Conference in batting average (.324) despite playing the second half of the season with a broken hand, junior outfielder Jake Mangum has been named to the Preseason All-SEC First Team by the league's coaches.
The SEC head baseball coaches have predicted Mississippi State to finish fifth in the SEC Western Division in 2018.
The 2016 SEC Batting Champion and 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year also has three Preseason All-America honors (D1 Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game) to his name heading into the 2018 season.
A 2017 MLB Draft pick, Mangum elected to return to MSU for another year in the Maroon and White. Mangum received SEC All-Defensive Team and All-SEC Second Team honors following his sophomore season in 2017. Having notched 174 hits through his first two seasons, Mangum only trails Rafael Palmeiro (193) for the most hits in program history through the first two seasons of a career.
The Diamond Dawgs have so for been ranked in all six major preseason top 25 polls. MSU is ranked No. 12 by D1 Baseball, No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 15 by USA Today, No. 17 by NCBWA, No. 23 by Baseball America and No. 25 by Perfect Game.
State is coming off a 40-27 year in 2017 that included a NCAA Regional Championship in year one of the Andy Cannizaro Era. On Friday, Feb. 16, MSU will open the 2018 season on the very field at which the regional title was won, Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Fans will have opportunities to meet the 2018 Diamond Dawgs prior to Opening Day at a pair of free events on MSU's campus. Fan Day is set for Sunday, Feb. 11, while Cowbell Yell will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateBB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
2018 Mississippi State Preseason Honors
Jake Mangum – OF
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- First Team Preseason All-SEC
Konnor Pilkington – SP
- Second Team Preseason All-American (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball)
Spencer Price – RP
- Third Team Preseason All-American (Collegiate Baseball)
2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
Eastern Division
1. Florida (13) – 91
2. Kentucky (1) - 74
3. Vanderbilt – 72
4. South Carolina – 50
5. Georgia – 41
6. Missouri – 32
7. Tennessee – 25
Western Division
1. Arkansas (12) – 90
2. Texas A&M (1) – 72
3. Ole Miss (1) – 62
4. LSU – 59
5. Mississippi State – 44
6. Auburn – 38
7. Alabama – 20
() – First place votes
SEC Champion: Florida (12), Arkansas (1), Texas A&M (1)
2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team
First Team
C: Grant Koch, Arkansas
1B: Julian Infante, Vanderbilt
2B: Cobie Vance, Alabama
SS: Braden Shewmake, Texas A&M
3B: Jonathan India, Florida
OF: Antoine Duplantis, LSU
OF: Tristan Pompey, Kentucky
OF: Jake Mangum, Mississippi State
DH/UTL: Michael Curry, Georgia
SP: Brady Singer, Florida
SP: Casey Mize, Auburn
RP: Michael Byrne, Florida
Second Team
C: JJ Schwarz, Florida
1B: Kameron Misner, Missouri
2B: Luke Becker, Kentucky
SS: Jax Biggers, Arkansas
3B: George Janca, Texas A&M
OF: Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
OF: Zach Watson, LSU
OF: Carlos Cortes, South Carolina
DH/UTL: JJ Schwarz, Florida
SP: Sean Hjelle, Kentucky
SP: Blaine Knight, Arkansas
RP: Dallas Woolfolk, Ole Miss
The SEC head baseball coaches have predicted Mississippi State to finish fifth in the SEC Western Division in 2018.
The 2016 SEC Batting Champion and 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year also has three Preseason All-America honors (D1 Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game) to his name heading into the 2018 season.
A 2017 MLB Draft pick, Mangum elected to return to MSU for another year in the Maroon and White. Mangum received SEC All-Defensive Team and All-SEC Second Team honors following his sophomore season in 2017. Having notched 174 hits through his first two seasons, Mangum only trails Rafael Palmeiro (193) for the most hits in program history through the first two seasons of a career.
The Diamond Dawgs have so for been ranked in all six major preseason top 25 polls. MSU is ranked No. 12 by D1 Baseball, No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 15 by USA Today, No. 17 by NCBWA, No. 23 by Baseball America and No. 25 by Perfect Game.
State is coming off a 40-27 year in 2017 that included a NCAA Regional Championship in year one of the Andy Cannizaro Era. On Friday, Feb. 16, MSU will open the 2018 season on the very field at which the regional title was won, Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Fans will have opportunities to meet the 2018 Diamond Dawgs prior to Opening Day at a pair of free events on MSU's campus. Fan Day is set for Sunday, Feb. 11, while Cowbell Yell will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateBB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
2018 Mississippi State Preseason Honors
Jake Mangum – OF
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- First Team Preseason All-SEC
Konnor Pilkington – SP
- Second Team Preseason All-American (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game)
- Third Team Preseason All-American (D1 Baseball)
Spencer Price – RP
- Third Team Preseason All-American (Collegiate Baseball)
2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
Eastern Division
1. Florida (13) – 91
2. Kentucky (1) - 74
3. Vanderbilt – 72
4. South Carolina – 50
5. Georgia – 41
6. Missouri – 32
7. Tennessee – 25
Western Division
1. Arkansas (12) – 90
2. Texas A&M (1) – 72
3. Ole Miss (1) – 62
4. LSU – 59
5. Mississippi State – 44
6. Auburn – 38
7. Alabama – 20
() – First place votes
SEC Champion: Florida (12), Arkansas (1), Texas A&M (1)
2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team
First Team
C: Grant Koch, Arkansas
1B: Julian Infante, Vanderbilt
2B: Cobie Vance, Alabama
SS: Braden Shewmake, Texas A&M
3B: Jonathan India, Florida
OF: Antoine Duplantis, LSU
OF: Tristan Pompey, Kentucky
OF: Jake Mangum, Mississippi State
DH/UTL: Michael Curry, Georgia
SP: Brady Singer, Florida
SP: Casey Mize, Auburn
RP: Michael Byrne, Florida
Second Team
C: JJ Schwarz, Florida
1B: Kameron Misner, Missouri
2B: Luke Becker, Kentucky
SS: Jax Biggers, Arkansas
3B: George Janca, Texas A&M
OF: Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
OF: Zach Watson, LSU
OF: Carlos Cortes, South Carolina
DH/UTL: JJ Schwarz, Florida
SP: Sean Hjelle, Kentucky
SP: Blaine Knight, Arkansas
RP: Dallas Woolfolk, Ole Miss
Players Mentioned
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