New Cardinals Prospect Could Make MLB Impact Sooner Than Expected

St. Louis struck gold with this prospect.

Apr 24, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A view of St. Louis Cardinals players hats and gloves in the dugout during a game with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-Imagn Images | David Kohl-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals finally hit the reset button this offseason and were aggressive in making trades. Their most recent trade sent Brendan Donovan to the Seattle Mariners for a haul of prospects. The headliner in that deal was switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje.

The Cardinals had made a point to acquire as much pitching depth as possible to get through the 2026 season, even as they rebuild, and Cijntje certainly helps strengthen their supply of options. Will Leitch of MLB.com listed several prospects that could be on the fast track for St. Louis, and he had high praise for the ambidextrous pitcher.

"Cijntje is roughly a year older than [Liam] Doyle, and if the Cardinals have the switch-pitcher focus on throwing just right-handed (as the Mariners planned to), he could find himself on the fast track," Leitch wrote.

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New Cards prospect could be difference maker

May 23, 2024; Hoover, AL, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (50) pitches against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the SEC Baseball Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Seattle had hoped to shift Cijintje to being a right-handed pitcher exclusively this year. But if the Cardinals keep up with that plan, then there is a chance that Cijintje could find himself in the Major Leagues at some point this year.

The Cardinals have Dustin May in their rotation, who they signed to a one-year, $12.5 million contract. He will likely be a trade candidate for the team at the deadline, and if he is moved to a contender, then perhaps the Cardinals will have a chance to call up Cijintje and plug him into the rotation almost immediately.

This could ignite some hope for 2027 and beyond for the Cardinals. They had lacked depth in their farm system, especially on the pitching side, But they now have a lot more depth, and if May is traded, it could clear a spot for Cijintje in the rotation.

He has high upside and could one day turn out to be an ace on the Cardinals' staff, and with Liam Doyle, Quinn Mathews and Tink Hence knocking on the door, the Cardinals could have a very strong rotation in a few short years and move through their rebuild quickly.

Cijintje has the swing-and-miss capability and the velocity that the Cardinals have been targeting lately, and if they can add that to their rotation, then the future all of a sudden looks incredibly bright.

More MLB: Cardinals Hit Jackpot, Landed Exciting Star in Brendan Donovan Trade