Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Get Intriguing Look at Switch-Pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje

The St. Louis Cardinals swung an intriguing deal for the young starter.
Patrick McAvoy|
Mar 6, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hat and gloves lay in the dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images
Mar 6, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals hat and gloves lay in the dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

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St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals have one of the most unique prospects in baseball and the fanbase got their first look at him on Tuesday.

After months of rumors, the Cardinals traded Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners in a three-team swap that also included the Tampa Bay Rays. In the process, the Cardinals landed switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, outfielder Tai Peete, outfielder Colton Ledbetter and two Competitive Balance Round B draft picks.

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On paper, it was a great deal for the Cardinals. Cijntje is now the Cardinal's No. 4 prospect and Peete is the team's No. 15 prospect. Ledbetter has plenty of upside and the club has two more prospects coming in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft. Cijntje is the gem of the deal. The reason why is that there aren't many people out there in general who can do what he can do. Cijntje is a switch-pitcher, and on Tuesday, he pitched his first official bullpen with the organization and got reps from both sides. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch shared a clip on X.

The Cardinals fans should be excited

Commissioner Rob Manfred takes a photo with Jurrangelo Cijntje
Jul 14, 2024; Ft. Worth, TX, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred takes a photo with Jurrangelo Cijntje after being drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 15th pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

If you're a Cardinals fan, you should be excited about this guy. Cijntje is just 22 years old and was a first-round pick in 2024 by the Mariners. He had a 3.99 ERA in 26 total appearances in the Mariners' farm system in 2025 and made it up to Double-A.

Cijntje is a unicorn. Again, there aren't many people who can do what he can and fortunately, St. Louis has him.

It was tough to see Donovan go, but the Cardinals got a guy who very well could impact the club at the big league level in the not-so-distant future. It would be a shock to see him early in 2026, but in the fall or in 2027, he'll be more likely of an option.

This is just the beginning, but the fanbase should have hope. This rotation has some serious talent on the way.

More MLB: Cardinals 6-Year Veteran on Trade Watch: 'Coin Flip'

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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