Jurrangelo Cijntje

Jean Michael Cijntje
(Loo)

• Bats Both, Throws Both
• Height 5' 11", Weight 200 lb.
• School Mississippi State University
• High School Champagnat Catholic School

• Born May 31, 2003 in Den Haag, Zuid-Holland Netherlands

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 15th overall pick of the 2024 amateur draft, from Mississippi State University. It was his second time being drafted, as he had been selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th round of the 2022 amateur draft but decided to go on to college. In his final season with Mississippi State, he was 8-2, 3.67 in 16 starts with 113 strikeouts in 90 2/3 innings. However, what really made him stand out from the crowd was that he was a true switch-pitcher. He also had an unusual background as his father, Michelangelo Cijntje was originally from Curaçao and has played for the Netherlands Antilles national team as a catcher in the 1991 Pan American Games. His younger brother, Farid Cijntje, has played for the Curaçao national team. Jurrangelo was born in The Hague, the capital of the Netherlands, where his father was playing professionally, but went to high school in Florida.

In his first professional season in 2025, he started out with the Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League, where he went 4-7, 4.58 in 19 games (16 starts). He was named to play in the 2025 Futures Game, then finished the season in AA with the Arkansas Travelers of the Texas League, going 1-0, 2.67 in 7 starts. Overall, in 108 1/3 innings between the two levels, his ERA was 3.99 and he struck out 120 batters. Early in 2026, the Mariners announced that he would henceforth concentrate on pitching right-handed, but that same day, on February 2nd, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals as one of three prospects and two draft picks in return for IF/OF Brendan Donovan. Joining him was fellow first-rounder Tai Peete and OF Colton Ledbetter, obtained earlier that same day from the Tampa Bay Rays in return for 3B Ben Williamson. The Cards did not seem to have the same view as the Mariners as to Cijntje's future role, as he was pitching with both arms when spring training opened and he continued to occasionally pitch left-handed in minor league games with the AA Springfield Cardinals, although he was primarily pitching right-handed.

He played for Willemstad, Curaçao in the 2016 Little League World Series and was an infielder for the Netherlands in the 2018 U-15 Baseball World Cup.

Further Reading

• Michael Avallone: "Switch-pitching 2024 first-rounder dominates in pro debut: Cijntje, Seattle's No. 9 prospect, K's six over four scoreless IP", mlb.com, April 6, 2025. [1]
• Jim Callis: "Is this pitching prospect a righty or a lefty? Yes", mlb.com, June 16, 2022. [2]
• Theo DeRosa and Daniel Kramer: "Mariners take switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje with 15th pick", mlb.com, July 15, 2024. [3]
• Thomas Harrigan: "Ambidextrous pitcher Cijntje strikes out same batter twice -- once with each hand", mlb.com, May 31, 2026. [4]
• John Kirshenbaum: "Mariners sign switch-handed top Draft pick", mlb.com, July 24, 2024. [5]
• Daniel Kramer: "Pitching with both arms, Mariners' Cijntje poised for Spring Breakout spotlight", mlb.com, March 14, 2025. [6]
• Daniel Kramer: "Switch-pitching Cijntje to focus on throwing right-handed", mlb.com, February 2, 2026. [7]
• Matt Monagan: /Meet the Mariners' new pitcher who throws 95 mph ... with both arms", mlb.com, July 15, 2022. [8]
• Brian Murphy: "Ambidextrous bird: Cijntje pitching with both arms at Cards camp", mlb.com, February 10, 2026. [9]
• Kenny Van Doren: "Switch-pitcher Cijntje rides High-A no-hit bid to career high in innings", mlb.com, May 19, 2025. [10]

Related Sites

• Mississippi State University Bio