Pirates' New Outfielder Jake Magnum Shares Season Goals

With the 2026 season quickly approaching, the Pittsburgh Pirates newest outfielder, Jake Magnum, recently had a chance to speak with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM.

Coming off his rookie season with the Tampa Bay Rays, the team decided he was no longer needed so they sent him to Pittsburgh as part of a three-team trade. With all of the additions the Pirates have been making, outfielders haven't been their focal point.

Now, they're getting a 29-year-old who played in 118 games last season. Magnum hit .296 in 405 at-bats which is quite impressive for a first year player. He spent his time going back and forth between all of the outfield positions.

Magnum spent the most time in left field, followed by center and then right. That said, he's about as versatile as it gets and Pittsburgh may have gotten a steal with him being included in the Brandon Lowe trade.

Jake Magnum Discusses His 2026 Goals

New Pirate OF Jake Mangum learned from his rookie season and has his goal for 2026 set firmly in mind#Pirates
🔗 https://t.co/fGPbvbj8w4 pic.twitter.com/domp3CdKQP
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 27, 2025

"I'd say the best way to describe last year was man I went up there and just did my best. I gave it my all man," Magnum said. "You never know how many chances you'll get in the big leagues. For me, being a rookie, I wanted to go out and show that I belonged to stay."

"I think there's a lot of value in not striking out, moving the ball forward, and running some bases to help the next guy. I'm trying to become a more complete baseball player just by taking my experiences man. The major league is the biggest jump there is and now that I can have an offseason of training with knowing what it's like, that's going to help a lot."

"I'm trying to become a more complete baseball player by taking more shots, getting in better hitters counts, maybe working in a couple more walks. I'm really just understanding when to take that swing where you're really trying to do a little more damage than just touch it and run."

Magnum's Sophomore Season

Jake Mangum robs Freddie Freeman of a homer and his fourth hit of the day pic.twitter.com/5l9FeArE8E
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 3, 2025

Even though he's approaching 30, that doesn't mean Magnum has a ton of big league experience. His grind through the minors was as tough as it gets, but now he'll be given another chance to become a household name on a new team.

As Magnum touched on, he might not be the biggest power guy, but his 27 stolen bases will certainly impact the team. He finished his rookie season with just three home runs, though he had 40 RBIs. His strikeout to walk ratio sat at 64:19, an area he knows he has plenty of room to grow in. Getting ready for his second season, Magnum will be a key name to watch throughout spring training and everything leading up to Opening Day on March 26.

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