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 va

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