The 22-year-old hurler has been a switch-pitcher since childhood and continued showcasing his unique skill in college at Mississippi State and at times through 108 1/3 Minor League innings last year with the Mariners, who made him the No. 15 pick in the 2024 Draft.
Then the Cardinals acquired Cijntje from Seattle as the centerpiece of their haul for second baseman Brendan Donovan on Feb. 2. Cards president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom recently indicated that Cijntje could be used as a right-handed starter and a left-handed reliever with St. Louis, but the club will have to see how he progresses through its system first.
“I think we owe it to ourselves and to him to get to know him first, but when you look at stuff, command and upside, it’s not a shock [that the Mariners] were prioritizing his right side,” Bloom said of Cijntje on Feb. 3. “Jurrangelo is passionate about keeping up the left side.”
