Two former Mississippi State players are being honored for the passion they put into the game of baseball on the professional level.
Brent Rooker (2014-17) and Jake Mangum (2016-19), who both left it all on the field every time they wore the maroon and white, have not let that heart and hustle go since turning pro. Those across the MLB are taking notice, too.
Earlier this week, the Major League Baseball Player Alumni Association announced individual winners of the 2025 Heart and Hustle Award. Rooker represented the Athletics while Mangum was the Tampa Bay Rays selection for the award that goes to 30 players before a league-wide winner is selected in mid-November.
According to the MLB, the award is presented to players who “exemplify a true passion for the game and who best embody the values, spirit, and tradition of the game.”
Rooker and Magnum easily check those boxes. Not only did they go the extra mile both on and off the field while in Starkville, but they were two of the most talented players Mississippi State has had in recent memory.
Combined, the former teammates had six All-SEC selections and landed on the SEC Academic Honor Roll list five times.
Both have also been able to translate that success to the next level. Rooker is coming off his second MLB All-Star selection in three years, leading the A’s with 23 home runs. Mangum has enjoyed a highlight-filled rookie season with a .280 batting average and of course a few web gems like this one from Wednesday night:
😇 in the outfield pic.twitter.com/tGAJhLo9Ug
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 6, 2025
The 30 individual winners of the 2025 Heart and Hustle Award are as follows:
American League
- Athletics: Brent Rooker
- Baltimore Orioles: Jackson Holliday
- Boston Red Sox: Jarren Durran
- Chicago White Sox: Michael A. Taylor
- Cleveland Guardians: José Ramirez
- Detroit Tigers: Zach McKinstry
- Houston Astros: Jeremy Peña
- Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt, Jr.
- Los Angeles Angels: Zach Neto
- Minnesota Twins: Byron Buxton
- New York Yankees: Paul Goldschmidt
- Seattle Mariners: Cal Raleigh
- Tampa Bay Rays: Jake Mangum
- Texas Rangers: Marcus Semien
- Toronto Blue Jays: Ernie Clement
National League
- Arizona Diamondbacks: Geraldo Perdomo
- Atlanta Braves: Matt Olson
- Chicago Cubs: Nico Hoerner
- Cincinnati Reds: TJ Friedl
- Colorado Rockies: Hunter Goodman
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Andy Pages
- Miami Marlins: Kyle Stowers
- Milwaukee Brewers: Sal Frelick
- New York Mets: Pete Alonso
- Philadelphia Phillies: Kyle Schwarber
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Tommy Pham
- San Diego Padres: Luis Arraez
- San Francisco Giants: Matt Chapman
- St. Louis Cardinals: Brendan Donovan
- Washington Nationals: Jacob Young
