Gage Jump Stats & Scouting Report

IP	31.0
ERA	2.32
WHIP	0.840
BB/9	1.5
SO/9	13.1

Full name Gage Lee Jump
Born 04/12/2003 in Aliso Viejo, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School UCLA
Drafted in the CB-B round (73rd overall) by the Athletics in 2024 (signed for $2,000,000).

View Draft Report

School: LSU
Commit/Drafted: Padres ’21 (18)
Age At Draft: 21.3
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.

Jump was a standout pitching prospect at JSerra High in Southern California who ranked as the No. 57 player in the 2021 class thanks to a trio of potential plus offerings. He made it to campus at UCLA, owing partially to questions about his size and starter viability. Jump pitched briefly in 2022 and then missed the 2023 season after having Tommy John surgery before transferring to LSU for the 2024 season. The 6-foot, 197-pound lefthander put things together for a full season this spring and became one of the Tigers’ most reliable starters, posting a 3.47 ERA in 83 innings and 15 starts with a 29.8% strikeout rate and 6.5% walk rate. Jump hides the ball well in his delivery and sits in the 92-94 mph range with his fastball, touching 97 at peak. The pitch has always had great riding life that plays at the top of the zone. He mixes in a pair of breaking pitches: the first a low-80s slider that has become more of a featured pitch for him in college, and the second a downer curveball in the upper 70s he’s thrown since high school. Jump also throws a mid-80s changeup he mixes in more against righthanded hitters, but he used the pitch only about 5% of the time this spring. He has solid control but still carries reliever risk because of his size and medical history.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: Jump was a talented prepster in Southern California who eschewed the draft to attend UCLA, where he needed Tommy John surgery in 2023. He then transferred to LSU and teamed with fellow Athletics draft pick Tommy White, going 6-2, 3.47 in 83 innings in 2024, primarily as a starter. The A’s drafted Jump No. 73 overall and signed him to a $2 million bonus. He did not make his professional debut.

Scouting Report: Despite his size, Jump’s delivery has impressive rotational qualities. He creates considerable deception from an unusual arm stroke, allowing his 92-94 mph to touch 97 and wreak havoc at the top of the zone with considerable carry. Jump’s heater provides the foundation for an arsenal featuring three pitches with solid-average potential, if not more. He tunnels a pair of breaking balls off the fastball: a low-80s cut-slider that he threw more throughout his college career and an upper-70s downer curveball. Jump worked on creating more distinction between the two pitches in instructs and rounds out his pitch mix with a seldom-used mid-80s changeup. While he threw far more strikes in 2024 with LSU, his combination of size, injury history and past strike-throwing concerns led amateur evaluators to wonder whether he’s better suited for the bullpen.

The Future: Jump emulates Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga as another undersized lefty with deceptive qualities that enhance his arsenal. He could settle into the back of a rotation one day with some risk that he’s ultimately better suited as a multi-inning reliever.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50.

Draft Prospects

School: LSU Commit/Drafted: Padres ’21 (18)
Age At Draft: 21.3
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.

Jump was a standout pitching prospect at JSerra High in Southern California who ranked as the No. 57 player in the 2021 class thanks to a trio of potential plus offerings. He made it to campus at UCLA, owing partially to questions about his size and starter viability. Jump pitched briefly in 2022 and then missed the 2023 season after having Tommy John surgery before transferring to LSU for the 2024 season. The 6-foot, 197-pound lefthander put things together for a full season this spring and became one of the Tigers’ most reliable starters, posting a 3.47 ERA in 83 innings and 15 starts with a 29.8% strikeout rate and 6.5% walk rate. Jump hides the ball well in his delivery and sits in the 92-94 mph range with his fastball, touching 97 at peak. The pitch has always had great riding life that plays at the top of the zone. He mixes in a pair of breaking pitches: the first a low-80s slider that has become more of a featured pitch for him in college, and the second a downer curveball in the upper 70s he’s thrown since high school. Jump also throws a mid-80s changeup he mixes in more against righthanded hitters, but he used the pitch only about 5% of the time this spring. He has solid control but still carries reliever risk because of his size and medical history.
Jump entered the year as one of several highly-touted players on a loaded JSerra (Calif.) High team that included shortstop Cody Schrier and righthanders Eric Silva and Luke Jewett. After impressing on the showcase circuit last summer and fall, Jump’s stuff ticked up this spring to solidify himself as the best of the bunch. Jump is an undersized lefthander at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, but his stuff plays bigger than his size. He pitches at 91-92 mph, can reach for 93-94 mph at any time and began touching 95-96 for the first time this spring. He pitches effectively at the top of the zone with his fastball to make it a plus pitch that gets lots of swings and misses. Batters don’t see his fastball well and rarely make contact against it. Jump complements his fastball with a plus, downer curveball in the mid 70s that also draws swings and misses. He also throws a changeup that flashes plus but is inconsistent and shows feel for a nascent cutter in the low 80s. Jump’s size and arm action result in some effort in his delivery, which leads to inconsistent command and control. His fastball will occasionally sail on him, but he is an aggressive competitor who pounds the strike zone when he’s on. Jump’s size and delivery create questions about whether he can remain a starter. Most teams project him to relief, where his stuff and mentality invite comparisons to similar-sized lefties who became dominant closers. He is committed to UCLA.