A's prospect Jump 'like a sponge' in first big league camp

MESA, Ariz. -- The buzz surrounding Gage Jump is palpable.

Upon taking the mound on the second day of Athletics Spring Training for his first bullpen of camp, the energy on the backfields of Hohokam Stadium was different. Suddenly, all eyes were locked in on Jump. Among the spectators: A’s manager Mark Kotsay, general manager David Forst and special guest instructors Dave Stewart and Dallas Braden.

Jump, currently ranked the A’s No. 3 prospect and MLB’s No. 57 overall prospect, thrilled a captive audience by flashing his superb control and assortment of plus pitches.

“His bullpen was really good,” Kotsay said. “He knows what he wants to do. 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.”

Following the session, Jump convened with pitching coach Scott Emerson and catcher Austin Wynns to review what they saw from the 22-year-old southpaw.

“We know the stuff is there,” Jump said. “It’s just being able to have fun. … I think that’s the biggest thing right now. I’m highly competitive, and being able to be around people like that definitely lifts me up. I’m just enjoying the moment being out here.”

Jump was drafted by the A’s as a Competitive Balance Round B selection (No. 73 overall) in 2024 out of LSU. Comparatively speaking, he entered the organization somewhat under the radar in relation to the hype that surrounded the club’s first two selections of that same Draft – Nick Kurtz and Tommy White.

Jump made his professional debut in ’25, and by the end of the year, there was no denying his merit as one of baseball’s Top 100 prospects. His routine dominance of hitters at High-A Lansing to start out the season earned him a promotion to Double-A Midland after just six games (five starts). Between the two levels, Jump went 9-7 with a combined 3.28 ERA in 26 games (24 starts) with 131 strikeouts and 34 walks over 112 2/3 innings.

“It was solid,” Jump said of his ’25 campaign. “There was definitely things I need to work on that I did work on over the offseason. I think that’s how it’s going to go every offseason. I want to be perfect, and I know that’s difficult in this game.”

In an effort to inch closer to that perfection, Jump spent this offseason in Arizona honing the shapes of all his pitches -- fastball, cutter, slider, sweeper and curveball -- to make them as consistent as possible.

“Knowing when one of [my pitches] is a little bit off the charts and how to get back to it,” Jump said. “I was happy with how it was last year. Now, it’s just, ‘Where do I start the shapes? What’s the focal point?’ That’s the biggest thing.”

He may not be perfect, but Jump is universally considered elite by all prospect outlets. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the ninth-best left-handed pitching prospect in baseball. How high up he’s climbed on on any prospect lists, however, is something Jump has paid zero attention to.

“I don’t want to engage in that stuff,” Jump said. “During Spring Training and in the season, I usually try to get off social media. I think that’s the best for me. I try to just stay in my own world.”

Given how quickly A’s top prospects such as Kurtz and Jacob Wilson have reached the Majors over the past couple of years, Jump could make it to the big leagues sooner rather than later, especially for a team in need of better overall performance from the pitching side as it looks to contend for the playoffs in ’26.

Of course, Jump has no control over when that call comes. Until then, he’ll go through his first Major League Spring Training soaking in as much as he can, picking the brains of veteran pitchers on the staff like Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs while also observing their day-to-day routines before likely starting out the season just one call away at Triple-A Las Vegas.

“I’m kind of like a sponge right now,” Jump said. “Seeing the differences in how other people work and what works for them, and just talking to everybody. … The goal is just to enjoy it and have as much fun as I can.”