Switch Pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje set to focus on pitching strictly righthanded
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Seattle's celebrated switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje is taking time off from being a baseball unicorn for now, as he will focus mostly on pitching as a righthander during Spring Training, according to a report from MLB.com. The young, intriguing pitcher could reach the Major Leagues faster if he follows this strategy, in the opinion of GM Justin Hollander and the club's front office.
Hollander confirmed that the Mariners designated Cijntje as a right-hander rather than a switch-pitcher on the team's formal list of 34 non-roster invitees to Spring Training. He says focusing on one side should help expedite Jurrangelo's jump to the big leagues.
“We think that's his highest ceiling, is as a right-handed starter,” Hollander said during Seattle's FanFest on Sunday. “I think as part of his routine and part of his sort of high-performance buildup and body management, having him continue to work left-handed is valuable. We may bring it back at some point. But for the start of camp and for the foreseeable future, he's going to pitch right-handed in games.”
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“I’ve always thought that once you're at Double-A, you're ... on the depth chart,” Hollander continued, and then added, “So it's certainly realistic that at some point this year, Jurrangelo is up here pitching for us.”
Cijntje is a rarity in the history of the game
Jurrangelo Cijntje was drafted by the Mariners in the first round (15th overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft, following a standout career at Mississippi State University. Cijntje was named a second-team All-American after finishing the 2024 season with an 8–2 record and 3.67 ERA, along with 113 strikeouts in 90.2 innings pitched in 16 outings. Last season in the Seattle system, he posted a 5-7 record, a 3.99 ERA, and 120 strikeouts in 108.1 innings.
While Cijntje is definitely a rare talent, he's not the first-ever to be able to pitch from both sides of the mound. Most indications show that multiple players have done so, but not more than about 10. Notable, there has been Pat Venditte, who debuted in the Major Leagues as a switch-pitcher in 2015.
And then, there's former Padre Greg Harris, who could pitch with both arms, as well. He famously used a six-fingered glove to switch hands mid-inning... all the way back in 1995, while pitching for San Diego.
