Las Vegas Aviators pitcher Gage Jump has a simple philosophy: win the day. Win the workout. Win the matchup.
Next up: Win the game.
Jump — whom MLB Pipeline ranks as the Athletics’ No. 3 prospect and No. 41 overall — is coming off his best start of his pro career, but has yet to crack the win column this season.
Against the Albuquerque Isotopes on Wednesday at Las Vegas Ballpark, he went seven shutout innings, striking out nine and walking none. Though the Isotopes’ six-run ninth inning comeback gave them the win, erasing Jump as the pitcher of record, the outing showed what the hard-throwing lefty is capable of.
That performance earned Jump the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week award — the second Las Vegas (26-23) pitcher to earn that honor this season, after Mason Barnett in April.
“That was elite starting pitching and elite efficiency,” Aviators manager Fran Riordan said. “It was a look at the potential that he possesses. … Seeing it actually unfold in front of me, and the way that he was able to stay in control the entire outing and the way he was able to repeat, it was really fun to watch.”
Jump leads the PCL in strikeouts with 56. That’s due in large part to his fastball, which averaged 95.7 mph entering Wednesday’s start.
Jump’s fastball topped out at 99 mph against Albuquerque, but the maturation of his other pitches has made the difference this season. While he can overpower hitters, he’s getting better at commanding his off-speed pitches — not just using them to set up the fastball, but to make batters miss.
Of the nine strikeouts in his last start, two came as batters whiffed on the curveball, and one came looking on a changeup.
Jump said the changeup — on average 8.5 mph slower than his fastball — is something he’s trying to throw more.
“He’s a very competitive guy — I love that on the mound,” catcher Brian Serven said. “He wants the ball and he wants to go nine innings every time. You have to respect that fire, that passion.”
Jump is never one to shy away from a challenge, and his career has had its share. After appearing in seven games as a freshman at UCLA in 2022, he had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow that summer. For the first time since he started playing catch at three, he couldn’t throw a baseball.
Having to sit out a season to recover gave Jump time to reflect on the kind of pitcher he wanted to become, charting a path from college to pro ball.
“How am I going to get from point A to point B?” Jump said of his thought process. “I took a step back and tried to look at my game from a coach’s perspective.”
That’s where the “win the day” mantra really took hold. Since he couldn’t play, he watched games and worked for little wins wherever he could find them. He analyzed his mechanics, his pitch grips, his mentality, and his environment.
As much as the Southern California native enjoyed being a Bruin, Jump wanted a bigger challenge, transferring to SEC powerhouse LSU. He excelled as a Tiger, and the A’s took him with the 73rd pick of the 2024 draft. Jump started well in his first season in the minors, going 9-7 with a 3.28 ERA across High-A Lansing and Double-A Midland.
This season has challenged Jump, who has struggled to get past the fourth inning in most outings for Las Vegas. The strikeouts were always there, but so were the hits, baserunners and runs. Jump kept battling through it.
On May 14 in Reno, he dealt like an ace. Jump shut out the Aces for four innings before leaving with a calf cramp. It was a brief glimpse into the promise Jump has shown from day one.
The next time out against Albuquerque, even though the Aviators didn’t win the game, Jump won the day.
JKG’s hot streak continues
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, the Athletics’ No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is one of the hottest hitters in the PCL right now. The versatile infielder is on a nine-game hit streak, playing second base, third base and shortstop.
As the Aviators split the series last week with the Isotopes, Kuroda-Grauer went 18 for 45 (.400 average) with five RBI and two steals. Since getting promoted from Midland on May 12, he’s had a hit in 11 of the 12 games he’s played for Las Vegas.
“He’s done nothing but great things since he’s been here,” Riordan said.
Marlowe earns PCL honor
Cade Marlowe earned the PCL’s Player of the Week honor after going 14 for 26 (.538) with two home runs, 13 RBI, 27 total bases and two steals, providing steady defense in center field.
Marlowe wreaked havoc on the Isotopes. In Thursday’s 12-1 Las Vegas win, he went 3 for 5 with six RBI and eight total bases. Marlowe filled the box score on Sunday, helping the Aviators win 6-5 by going 4 for 4 with a double, triple, seven total bases, two RBI and his 12th steal of the year.
Up next
Who: Aviators at Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners affiliate)
When: Tuesday-Sunday
Where: Cheney Stadium, Tacoma, Wash.
Aviators starter Tuesday: Gage Jump (0-2, 4.50 ERA)
