Cardinals Prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje Turns in Best Triple-A Start Yet

He was promoted to Triple-A in July

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-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

St. Louis Cardinals switch-pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje dazzled in his latest appearance for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds.

Cijntje, the Cardinals' No. 12 prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline, had a strong outing on Thursday in Memphis' 3-2 loss to the Durham Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The 23-year-old tossed 6 1/3 solid innings for the Redbirds, allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out 11. Those 11 strikeouts also set a new career-high mark for the 2024 first-round draft pick.

While Cijntje is known for his ability to pitch as both a lefty and a righty, he only threw right-handed in Thursday's start, according to MLB Pipeline. The young hurler also exited the game after just 72 pitches. He "showed obvious discomfort near his right hamstring" in the seventh inning and "left under his own power," according to MLB Pipeline. That will undoubtedly be a situation worth monitoring over the final few weeks of the 2026 minor league season.

Jurrangelo Cijntje might be finding his groove at Triple-A this month

Feb 17, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (87). Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's unclear at this time how Cijntje's potential hamstring injury could impact him for the rest of the year. But with the Memphis Redbirds' regular season set to end in just over a month, it'll be interesting to see how many more starts the 23-year-old makes in 2026.

Overall, Cijntje has a 5.33 ERA in 22 starts this season. He's also racked up 132 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings during his first year in St. Louis' farm system. The Seattle Mariners selected the Mississippi State product with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and traded him to the Cardinals for Brendan Donovan in February.

Cijntje began the 2026 season at Double-A, where he posted a 5.04 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 80 1/3 innings. The switch-pitcher was then promoted to Triple-A in July. In five starts for Memphis, the 23-year-old has a 6.29 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings. Following his gem on Thursday, though, the Cardinals prospect has a 2.38 ERA in two Triple-A starts this month.

For now, Cijntje will look to build on his recent success with the Redbirds. But Cardinals fans will likely also keep a watchful eye on the young hurler's health at the end of the season.