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Cardinals' Jurrangelo Cijntje: Focusing on throwing right-handed
Rotowire
Cijntje will throw only right-handed in spring training games and live batting practice sessions while he's in big-league camp, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The switch pitcher did some warm-up throws left-handed during a live batting practice session Friday, and he will continue to develop both arms. However, while with the major-league club, Cijntje's focus will be on throwing from the right side. The 22-year-old's ceiling as a pitching prospect is much higher from the right side and there's a good chance he will eventually throw solely with that arm. Cijntje was acquired from the Mariners earlier this month in the Brendan Donovan trade.
Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said Tuesday that the team has not made a decision as to whether Cijntje will be a switch-pitcher moving forward or focus on throwing right-handed, Brenden Schaeffer of STL Sports Central reports.
The Mariners had said prior to trading Cijntje to the Cardinals on Monday that the hurler would throw only right-handed in spring training games. Bloom noted that while he thinks the course the Mariners were going to take with Cijntje was "a good one," he wants to get to know the pitcher first before making any determinations. Cijntje collected a 3.99 ERA and 120:51 K:BB over 108.1 innings between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas in 2025 and will likely begin his stint in the Cardinals organization at Double-A Springfield.
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Cardinals' Jurrangelo Cijntje: Going to St. Louis in trade
Rotowire
The Cardinals acquired Cijntje from the Mariners on Monday as part of a three-team trade involving the Rays, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
St. Louis also receives Tai Peete, Colton Ledbetter and a compensatory draft pick. Brendan Donovan is going to Seattle and Ben Williamson is headed to Tampa Bay as part of the deal. A first-round pick in the 2024 Draft, Cijntje held a 3.99 ERA and 120:51 K:BB over 108.1 innings between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas in 2025. The Mariners said over the weekend that Cijntje -- who has been a switch pitcher -- would focus on throwing right-handed in spring training. It's unclear whether the Cardinals will also have the same plan or have Cijntje continue switch pitching.
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Mariners' Jurrangelo Cijntje: Focusing on throwing right-handed
Rotowire
Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Sunday that Cijntje will be used as a right-handed starting pitcher during spring training, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
In 2025, the switch pitcher initially made starts right-handed on Saturdays and relief appearances as a lefty on Wednesdays. That plan was abandoned after he was ineffective in the relief outings, and he switched to throwing lefty in certain matchups during his right-handed starts. Cijntje will still occasionally throw left-handed in bullpen sessions, and the Mariners have not ruled out a return to switch-pitching at some point. However, Cijntje's focus for now will be on developing as a right-handed starter. The 22-year-old finished 2025 with a 3.99 ERA and 120:51 K:BB over 108.1 innings between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas. Cijntje will return to Arkansas to begin the 2026 campaign and could push to debut at some point later on in the summer.
Mariners' Jurrangelo Cijntje: Moving up to Double-A
Rotowire
The Mariners promoted Cijntje from High-A Everett to Double-A Arkansas on Sunday, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports.
A 22-year-old switch-pitcher, Cijntje has posted a 4.58 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 83 strikeouts over 74.2 innings in 19 appearances with Everett this season. Though he's a natural southpaw, Cijntje is considered more advanced as a right-handed pitcher, which has been reflected in his splits at Everett. Over 28.1 innings against left-handed hitters, Cijntje allowed a .262 batting average and posted a 28:25 K:BB, whereas righties batted just .161 in 45.2 innings while he amassed a 55:10 K:BB.
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