Time To Gauge Jump To MLB For Athletics’ Prospect Gage Jump

BusinessSportsMoneyTime To Gauge Jump To MLB For Athletics’ Prospect Gage JumpByChuck Murr,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Chuck analyzes and writes about baseball, soccer & other sports.Follow AuthorMay 26, 2026, 06:43pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.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)Getty ImagesGage 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 a...