Mariners’ Prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje to Focus Exclusively on Right-Handed Pitching This Spring
Jurrangelo Cijntje is one of the most intriguing young arms in baseball - and not just because he can throw with both of them. The Mariners’ switch-pitching prospect has turned heads with his rare ambidextrous ability, but as spring training approaches, the organization is narrowing his focus.
During the team’s FanFest on Sunday, Mariners general manager Justin Hollander confirmed that Cijntje will pitch exclusively right-handed when camp opens. It’s a strategic shift aimed at maximizing his upside.
“We think that's his highest ceiling, as a right-handed starter,” Hollander said. “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.”
It’s a notable decision, especially considering how rare it is to find a legitimate switch-pitcher in the modern game. But the numbers from last season made this move hard to argue with.
Cijntje, the Mariners’ 15th overall pick in the 2024 draft, struggled mightily as a lefty. Opponents posted an OPS over 1.100 against him from both sides of the plate when he pitched left-handed - a clear sign that the southpaw version of his game just wasn’t ready for pro-level hitters.
Right-Handed Focus Unlocks His Ceiling
The good news? Even with one arm effectively off the table, Cijntje remains a high-upside prospect.
MLB Pipeline recently ranked him as the No. 91 prospect in all of baseball, and that’s based almost entirely on his right-handed work. From that side, he’s a different pitcher - more consistent in the strike zone, more explosive with his fastball, and more dangerous with his slider.
Cijntje’s fastball from the right side regularly sits in the upper 90s, and his slider has late sweep that gives hitters fits. Baseball America noted that his breaking ball plays up from the right side compared to the left, and the command is noticeably sharper too. Simply put, he looks more like a future starter when he’s attacking from the right.
And the early results back that up. In a brief stint with Double-A Arkansas last season, Cijntje made seven starts and logged 33.2 innings, posting a 2.67 ERA. That’s not a huge sample size, but it’s enough to suggest he’s already holding his own against advanced hitters - and trending in the right direction.
A Prospect Committed to the Grind
What makes Cijntje’s story even more compelling is his mindset. At just 22 years old, he’s already showing the kind of maturity teams love to see in young players. Case in point: he turned down an invitation to pitch for Team Netherlands in the upcoming World Baseball Classic so he could stay locked in on his development with the Mariners.
“Going into this year, I was down to go, and then I got the invite,” Cijntje said. “And I was like, 'I'll think about it with my family and my agent and all that.'
And I think it was best for me to stick and go to a big league camp. Because that's something that probably will help me to make it especially.
You want to play around these guys, too.”
That kind of decision says a lot. For a young pitcher with international ties and a chance to represent his home country on a global stage, it’s no small thing to put that opportunity on hold. But Cijntje is betting on himself - and on the chance to make a real impact in Seattle.
Still One of a Kind
Even with his left-handed pitching shelved for now, Cijntje remains one of the most unique players in the minors. His athleticism, work ethic, and right-handed arsenal give him a real shot to rise through the Mariners’ system quickly. And should the team revisit his ambidextrous abilities down the road, they’ll be doing so with a much more polished pitcher.
For now, though, the focus is clear: right-handed, full speed ahead. And if Cijntje continues to build on what he showed in Double-A, it won’t be long before he’s knocking on the door of the big leagues - with one arm, or maybe someday, both.