Pitching with both arms, Mariners' Cijntje poised for Spring Breakout spotlight

PEORIA, Ariz. -- For an organization that¡¯s had as strong of a track record as any in developing homegrown pitchers over the past half-decade, the Mariners have arguably their most interesting case study yet.

And that arm -- actually, those arms -- will be on display for the first true time in a game-like environment as part of MLB Spring Breakout.

Indeed, switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje could very well throw from both sides when taking the mound at Goodyear Ballpark against the Guardians¡¯ top prospects as part of the showcase event that features the most prominent faces of the future from each organization in matchups across the league. First pitch is slated for 5:05 p.m. PT and can be viewed on MLB.TV and ROOT Sports.

Cijntje is expected to pitch two innings later in the game, somewhere behind Logan Evans -- who is expected to start and pitch three innings -- and Brandyn Garcia, who is expected to throw one inning after Evans. Cijntje is ranked the Mariners¡¯ No. 9 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

¡°It¡¯s a lot of work, but ... if you¡¯re actually trying to stay healthy, you¡¯ve got to do everything on both sides,¡± Cijntje recently told MLB.com¡¯s Jim Callis. ¡°So if I do something with the right arm, I always do it with the left arm, too. I¡¯m always trying to be consistent and always working my butt off in trying to be the best that I can.¡±

Cijntje did not pitch in any games after being selected by Seattle with the No. 15 overall pick in last year¡¯s Draft, a byproduct of a large volume in his sophomore season at Mississippi State (90 2/3 innings) and his incredibly unique situation of pitching with both arms. The Mariners also haven¡¯t unveiled what their plans are for him in 2025, but starting the season in Minors extended spring training could be likely.

As Callis noted earlier this week in his Pipeline Report on the Mariners¡¯ farm system, as a righty, Cijntje has drawn Marcus Stroman comparisons with a mid-90s fastball, a mid-80s slider and a hard changeup with fade. As a lefty, he has more of a reliever look with a lower slot, operating with a low-90s heater and a sweepier low-80s breaking ball.

¡°I¡¯m probably throwing more from the right side, but we¡¯ve developed a sinker too from the left side and it¡¯s getting way better,¡± Cijntje said. ¡°And the slider is more like a sweeper now. Everything is getting better from both sides. Even though I¡¯m going to throw more from the right side, but from the left side, the stuff is getting better.¡±

Recognizing the fluidity of his early-stage development, above all, the Mariners view Cijntje as a right-handed starter who possesses the lefty-throwing skill that can be a valuable supplement. Drafting him that high and signing him for slot value for that pick at $4.88 million suggests as much.

"It¡¯s really exciting to think about the track record of what our pitching coaches have been able to do with so many homegrown arms,¡± Mariners director of player development Justin Toole said. ¡°And to have such a unique opportunity with Jurrangelo has us all really excited.¡±

How the Mariners handle specific matchups for Cijntje will be fascinating to follow, too.

At Mississippi State, there were times where Cijntje struggled to maintain a rhythm going back and forth based on the handedness of the opposing batter. So instead, they had him pitch right-handed for longer stretches, with a few left-handed matchups sprinkled in. It¡¯s possible that the Mariners opt for a similar strategy.

There are also rules that will be in play in how he uses each arm -- he essentially has to commit to one or the other for each batter.

¡°I don't think I've ever seen this in my lifetime in scouting, let alone as a player,¡± Mariners director of amateur scouting Scott Hunter said after the Draft.

Cijntje was a natural-born lefty, but he began throwing from his right side at just six years old in an effort to emulate his father, Mechangelo, a professional ballplayer in the Netherlands. Throwing right-handed was also necessary when he was an infielder in his amateur days.

It¡¯s all still in the very early stages of a work in progress, but Spring Breakout represents the first -- and biggest -- step in Cijntje's captivating path to the Majors.