Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

Cijntje grew up wanting to be like his father, Mechangelo, who was a right-handed pitcher in the Netherlands. So even though he was a natural lefty, he used his dad’s glove and learned how to pitch right-handed. That’s how the switch-pitching legend was born, and he took it to the international stage, throwing with both arms in the 2016 Little League World Series and continuing it through two years at Mississippi State. The Mariners took him No. 15 overall in the 2024 Draft, and he pitched his way to Double-A during his first full season of pro ball, striking out a pair of batters in a scoreless Futures Game inning as well. Seattle traded Cijntje to the Cardinals in the offseason as part of the three-team deal involving Brendan Donovan.

Despite his natural left-handedness, Cijntje is clearly a much better pitcher right-handed, and the Mariners announced ahead of Spring Training that he would be focusing on that side in 2026. With a three-pitch mix as a righty, he has the chance to start. His fastball has very good carry up in the zone, and he can run it consistently up into the upper 90s. He misses plenty of bats with a mid-to-upper-80s slider that can flash plus, and he is able to mix in an effective firm changeup with fade. He will still throw some bullpens left-handed to work on his low-to-mid-90s fastball and low-80s slider combination.

A tremendous athlete on the mound, Cijntje is a better strike-thrower from the right side as well. The Mariners experimented with the left-handed pitching both in starts and in separate relief stints, without a ton of success. Never say never on him returning to throwing lefty occasionally, but now in his second organization, Cijntje’s ceiling remains highest as a righty starter.

RHP scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

LHP scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Mechangelo Cijntje was a right-handed pitcher who played professionally in the Netherlands. Son Jurrangelo, a natural lefty, wanted to copy his dad and liked wearing his glove, so he learned to throw with his other hand as well. His switch-pitching made news with Curacao’s 2016 Little League World Series team and he kept on doing it as he headed to Mississippi State for college rather than entertain any mid-round offers out of high school. He was one of the best Draft-eligible sophomores in the 2024 class, and when the Mariners took him 15th overall, it marked the first time they went college arm with their first selection since 2020, when Emerson Hancock was the last of three straight pitchers taken from the university ranks. After his first full pro season, Cijntje was traded to the Cardinals as part of a three-team deal for Brendan Donovan.

There’s general consensus that he’s better right-handed, with a chance to start in the mold of Marcus Stroman. He can crank his fastball up to 98 mph with carry up in the zone, complementing it with an effective mid-80s slider that touches 90-91 mph with depth and a firm fading changeup. As a lefty, he’s more reliever-ish, using a lower slot to get outs with a sweeping low-80s breaker and a low-90s fastball.

Though he’s undersized and that will always bring concerns about durability with it, he’s strong and athletic and showed an increased ability to find the strike zone in his second season in college. His ceiling is still highest as a right-handed starter, now in his second organization, but never say never on him sprinkling lefty looks back in. 

RHP scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

LHP scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

A natural left-hander, Cijntje began throwing right-handed as a 6-year-old because he wanted to emulate his father, Mechangelo, who played professionally in the Netherlands, and he liked wearing his dad’s glove. He gained notoriety for his switch-pitching as a member of Curacao's team at the 2016 Little League World Series, and clubs considered him a mid-rounds prospect in the 2022 Draft, where his signability dropped him to the Brewers in the 18th round. He bounced back from a rough freshman season at Mississippi State and was one of the top sophomore-eligibles in this year's crop, leading to the Mariners making him their first-round pick and signing him for a full-slot bonus of $4.88 million.

Evaluators say Cijntje has better stuff and projects as a Marcus Stroman-esque starter as a righty vs. profiling more as a reliever as a lefty. From the right side, he operates with a 94-96 mph fastball that tops out at 98 with carry up in the zone, and he backs it up with a mid-80s slider that reaches 91 with good depth and a slightly harder changeup with fade. As a southpaw, he works from a low slot with a sweepier low-80s breaking ball and a low-90s heater that doesn't miss many bats.

Cijntje pitched right-handed against lefty hitters more often in 2024, and many scouts would like to see him do so full time, though the Mariners will let him use both arms at least at the outset of his career. While his 5-foot-11 build creates questions about his long-term durability as a starter, he's strong and athletic. He has significantly improved his strike-throwing as a sophomore and could develop average control as he gains more experience.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

If you’re looking for perhaps the most unique player in the 2022 Draft class, Cijntje might be it. The native of Curacao, who pitched for his home country in the Little League World Series in 2016, now calls southern Florida home and is a legitimate pitching prospect from both sides. He showed improvement both left-handed and right-handed over the course of the summer, finishing off with a strong showing at Perfect Game’s World Wood Bat Association World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., in the fall.

A bit undersized at 5-foot-11, Cijntje’s better pure stuff does come from the right side. He throws his fastball right-handed in the 92-96 mph range with a sharp slider that has the chance to miss bats. Left-handed, Cijntje tops out currently at around 88-89 mph with his heater. His breaking ball is a softer curve and doesn’t have the bite his right-handed slider does, but he can land it for strikes. 

The Mississippi State recruit doesn’t have a changeup to speak of, though being able to actually switch-pitch might negate the need for the pitch, at least for the time being. Scouts were impressed that while he struggled to get left-handed hitters out early at the East Coast Professional Showcase, he was much sharper with both hands by the time he pitched in Jupiter. Pat Venditte is the last switch-pitcher to touch the big leagues, but Cijntje is a much more legitimate pitching prospect from both sides than he ever was.

Video scouting report »

RHP scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

LHP scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

A natural left-hander, Cijntje began throwing right-handed as a 6-year-old because he wanted to emulate his father, Mechangelo, who played professionally in the Netherlands, and he liked wearing his dad’s glove. He gained notoriety for his switch-pitching as a member of Curacao's team at the 2016 Little League World Series, and clubs considered him a mid-rounds prospect in the 2022 Draft, where his signability dropped him to the Brewers in the 18th round. He has bounced back from a rough freshman season at Mississippi State to become one of the top sophomore-eligibles in this year's crop.

Evaluators say Cijntje has better stuff and projects as a Marcus Stroman-esque starter as a righty vs. profiling more as a reliever as a lefty. From the right side, he operates with a 94-96 mph fastball that tops out at 98 with carry up in the zone, and he backs it up with a mid-80s slider that reaches 91 with good depth and a slightly harder changeup with fade. As a southpaw, he works from a low slot with a sweepier low-80s breaking ball and a low-90s heater that doesn't miss many bats.

Cijntje is pitching right-handed against lefty hitters more often in 2024, and many scouts would like to see him do so full time. While his 5-foot-11 build creates questions about his long-term durability as a starter, he's strong and athletic. He has significantly improved his strike-throwing as a sophomore and could develop average control as he gains more experience.

Awards

NWL Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
05/18/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	02/02/2026	St. Louis Cardinals traded 2B Brendan Donovan to Seattle Mariners for CF Colton Ledbetter, SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, OF Tai Peete, Draft Pick and Draft Pick.
	02/02/2026	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje assigned to Springfield Cardinals.
	01/30/2026	Seattle Mariners invited non-roster SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje to spring training.
	08/04/2025	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje assigned to Arkansas Travelers from Everett AquaSox.
	08/04/2025	Arkansas Travelers activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	07/11/2025	American League Futures activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	04/01/2025	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje assigned to Everett AquaSox from ACL Mariners.
	03/06/2025	activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	08/05/2024	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje assigned to ACL Mariners.
	07/23/2024	Seattle Mariners signed SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	06/11/2022	College Workout activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	06/11/2022	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje assigned to College Workout.
	09/28/2021	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje and assigned to SouthSouth.
	09/23/2021	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje and assigned to National.
	08/18/2021	SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje and assigned to PG East.
	07/13/2021	PG National 5 - Maroon activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	06/04/2021	High School Workout activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.
	06/04/2021	High School Workout activated SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje.