LAS VEGAS: Gage Jump of the Athletics pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in a spring training game at Las Vegas Ballpark on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Gage Jump is scheduled to make the jump to an MLB mound tonight for the Athletics. The 23-year-old left-hander was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to face the Seattle Mariners in Sacramento.
Here’s a suggestion for the rookie’s first pitch at Sutter Health Park: play Van Halen’s hit record “Jump”. Get all the fans singing, “Go ahead, Jump!”
The Athletics believe the hard thrower is ready for such a leap. He struck out 56 in 38 innings over nine starts for Las Vegas with a 4.50 ERA and 0-2 record.
What Athletics manager Mark Kotsay saw with his own eyes in spring training was more important than any numbers on a sheet of paper.
“Today, if you really dissect it and look at fastball command, the consistency of landing pitches in the zone, that’s the final touch,” Kotsay told Martin Gallegos in March after Jump had a good outing against the Cincinnati Reds. “He’s figuring that out, and we’re going to work on that. That’s kind of the last polish for him. He’s got the weapons to pitch in the big leagues. Really impressive. Hard not to like, right?”
A month earlier, in workouts prior to spring games, Kotsay told Gallegos’ that Jump’s preparation and eagerness to learn were impressive, too.
“He knows what he wants to do,” Kotsay said. “He’s very advanced in terms of preparation and knowledge of what he feels like he does well. It’s great to see a young pitcher have an understanding of his abilities.”
Why Is Jump Highly Ranked?
MLB Pipeline ranked Jump as the Athletics’ No. 3 prospect behind 19-year-old shortstop wonder Leo De Vries and 22-year-old lefty Jamie Arnold, picked No. 11 overall in 2024. He was No. 41 overall in MLB’s preseason rankings.
ATLANTA: Athletics prospect Gage Jump pitches in the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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He pitched in the 2025 All-Stars Futures Game. He went 4-1 with a 2.32 ERA, 45 strikeouts and only 5 walks at High-A Lansing (MI) last year, then was promoted to Double-A Midland (TX). That was more challenging: 5-6, 3.64 ERA, 86 strikeouts, 29 walks.
Jump showcased his upper-90s fastball in spring training. The Athletics sent him to Las Vegas and basically said show us some other stuff. They wanted him to master a changeup that would make the heater even more devastating.
He hasn’t truly mastered any one pitch, but has utilized a nice pitch mix thus far in 2026. His best outing came a week ago when he fanned nine without a walk over seven scoreless innings.
The fastball has averaged 96 mph and produced a 31% swing and-miss rate according to Synergy Sports Technology. He’s throwing more sliders and curves while mixing in the changeup and an occasional sweeper. They all come from a low arm angle, adding depth and deception.
Collegiate Rollercoaster
Jump was highly recruited in high school, where he was ranked the No. 1 left-hander and No.5 prospect overall in pitching-rich California. That was at JSerra Catholic in San Juan Capistrano. Current big leaguers Royce Lewis of the Minnesota Twins and Austin Hedges of the Cleveland Guardians preceded him there.
The San Diego Padres picked him in the 18th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Many teams were interested, but he dropped in the draft as they figured he would honor his collegiate commitment to UCLA. He did.
He had a lukewarm freshman year, pitching only 16 1/3 innings across seven outings, including three starts. He struck out 22 and had a 1-1 record and 3.86 ERA. Important to Jump was making the Director’s Academic Honor Roll for the fall, winter, and spring quarters.
Turns out, that was the best he could do for the Bruins. He missed the entire 2023 season after having Tommy John surgery and transferred to Louisiana State, where coach Jay Johnson had recruited him hard in high school.
FAYETTEVILLE, AR: Gage Jump of the LSU Tigers faces the Arkansas Razorbacks at Baum-Walker Stadium at George Cole Field on March 30, 2024. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
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“I just wanted to be in the SEC (Southeastern Conference),” Jump told reporters in January of 2024. He also said he was worried about the future of the PAC-12 Conference. He was right as UCLA and three other schools soon bolted for the Big Ten, Arizona State and three others went to the Big 12 and Stanford and California to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Jump came back from the layoff better than ever, going 6-2 with a 3.47 ERA and fanning 101 over 83 innings, walking only 22.
The Athletics drafted him in the second round that summer, No. 73 overall, and signed him for $2 million. That was more than 14 of the 15 picks immediately ahead of him got.
In Good Company
When he throws his first pitch tonight against the Seattle Mariners, Jump will become the 77th of 239 players drafted from LSU to play MLB ball.
The list includes right-hander Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, picked No. 1 overall in 2023, former slugger Albert Belle and current Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman and right-handers Kevin Gausman of the Toronto Blue Jays and Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies.
OMAHA, NE: Paul Skenes of the LSU Tigers pitches against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Charles Schwab Field on June 22, 2023. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
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LSU has had at least one former player make his MLB debut in of 32 of the past 36 seasons.
Overall, 103 MLB players went to LSU. Among stars at the school who found pro success before the MLB Draft began in 1965 were shortstop Alvin Dark (1946-60), first baseman Joe Adcock (1950-66) and right-hander Bill Lee (1934-47) whose 169 wins are the most by a Tigers alum.
Gage Jump’s Future With Athletics
Jump has pitched only 150 2/3 innings in the minors and is hardly a finished product. This opportunity came up when veteran Aaron Civale went on the injured list with tendinitis in his right shoulder.
The organization is banking on Jump’s intellect as much as his physical ability, reasoning that he should not be overwhelmed. He’ll need to throw quality strikes, something that was a bit of a concern at Las Vegas.
In 38 innings, he walked 20. That’s way too many and dampens his 56 strikeouts and only 36 hits allowed.
Even the greatest leapers in sports from Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Olympic champs such as Bob Beamon will tell you that sometimes when you take a big jump, you fall – but it’s how you get up and proceed that gets you to your goal.
Gage Jump probably has jumped to the Athletics a little quicker than expected. Then again, maybe the decision was a slam dunk all the way.