Minor League Baseball

Seattle Mariners Pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje Ready For First Year in Minor Leagues

The 2024 first-round pick of the Mariners is awaiting his minor league assignment for 2025.
Teren Kowatsch|
Mississippi State pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje throws against Vanderbilt in an SEC Tournament game on May 23 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
Mississippi State pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje throws against Vanderbilt in an SEC Tournament game on May 23 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

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Seattle Mariners

SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners have one of the best farm systems in baseball. MLB Pipeline and Baseball America both ranked seven of the organization's prospects in the Top 100. And they could have more by the end of the season.

Waiting in the wings for a promotion to the list are pitchers Ryan Sloan (No. 8 among Mariners prospects) and Jurrangelo Cijntje (No. 9). Cijntje was Seattle's first-round pick and Sloan was the second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Cijntje is the first legitimate ambidextrous starting pitching prospect in years. Fans got their first look at the former Mississippi State product in the Spring Breakout game against the Cleveland Guardians on March 14. He pitched two innings and struck out two batters, walked another pair and allowed one earned run off two hits. One of the hitters he fanned was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, Travis Bazzana. He struck out the former Oregon State player with his right arm and induced a groundout with his left.

Cijntje spent nearly nearly four months in Arizona, taking part in the High Performance Camp and "shove" camp that predated the actual spring training. The extended stay in Arizona has Cijntje feeling more sure of himself as a pitcher and more prepared to show off his unique skill set in minor league games.

"Right now I feel more comfortable," Cijntje said in the Mariners' opening week warm-up event Sunday. "I think it was good for me to just put my foot in a little bit and just get the taste of it. ... I'm ready to just do the thing that I always do the best."

There's a lot that goes into the pitching development side for Seattle. But the one overarching lesson that every pitcher, especially draft picks, are taught is to simply trust their arms. Every Mariners pitcher is there for a reason. And when they're on the mound, they're taught not to overthink mechanics and location, just throw strikes. And the veterans on the pitching staff are making sure to impart that knowledge onto Cijtnje and other young hurlers.

"Logan (Gilbert) said, 'If you need anything, just text me. You have my phone number,'" Cijntje said. " ... (He said) 'Your stuff is good. You're here for a reason, you're good. Just try and throw your stuff in the strike zone and it will help you to get better. ... Just attack the hitters and don't be afraid.'"

It's almost become a yearly tradition for the Mariners' veteran pitchers or new additions to work on a new pitch in spring training. But Cijntje, who has unique offerings with both arms, is more focused on refining his arsenal than adding to it.

"Sometimes I want to throw (the) splitter, but they're like, 'Nah. I think you're good,'" Cijntje said.

Cijntje is expected to begin the season with the Low-A Modesto Nuts. But if what he showed in the Spring Breakout game translates to the minor leagues, there's a chance he won't be there for long.

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Teren Kowatsch
TEREN KOWATSCH

Teren Kowatsch is a staff writer for ''Minor League Baseball on SI'' and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He has been a writer for “On SI’’ for two years and is a graduate of the University of Idaho. You can follow him on Twitter @Teren_Kowatsch

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