Jurrangelo Cijntje stepped atop a mound at the Cardinals' complex in Jupiter, Fla., on Tuesday for his first bullpen session of the spring with his new team. The No. 91 overall prospect immediately showed why he will be a must-watch pitcher throughout camp.
The ambidextrous Cijntje threw pitches left-handed and right-handed during the session, as captured on video by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold.
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.
However, Cijntje has had better results in the Minors while pitching from the right side -- despite being a natural lefty -- and was set to focus on throwing only right-handed this spring with the Mariners. He would throw left-handed occasionally during bullpen sessions, but not in Cactus League games.
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.”