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Seattle Mariners 2024 First-Round Pick Gets Back on Track in Latest Start
Mississippi State pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje throws during an SEC Tournament game against Vanderbilt on May 23, 2024, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners 2024 first-round draft pick put together a solid start on Saturday after a streak of bad luck in his prior two outings.

In the High-A Everett AquaSox's 3-2, extra-innings win against the Spokane Indians, Jurrangelo Cijntje navigated Spokane's lineup well. He struck out six in four innings, didn't walk a batter and allowed one unearned run on three hits. He threw 53 pitches, 37 for strikes.

It was a good bounce-back game for the ambidextrous 22-year-old after. He exited early from an outing against the Indians on May 31 due to a "vibrating sensation" in his right elbow. It didn't end up being a long-term concern, but he was scratched from his originally scheduled start June 7.

Cijntje returned to the mound against the Tri-City Dust Devils on June 11, but left early in that outing, as well. He was pulled after three innings when he rolled his ankle trying to cove first base. The former Mississippi State pitcher allowed five earned runs on as many hits (one home run) in five innings in those two starts and fanned six combined batters across those two starts.

Cijntje (No. 86 MLB Pipeline top 100, No. 82 Baseball America top 100) has a 4.28 ERA this season with 54 strikeouts in 48.1 innings pitched across 14 appearances (11 starts). He's the first legitimate switch-pitching prospect in years. Seattle originally had Cijntje starting one game a week with the AquaSox, primarily right-handed, with a relief outing peppered in-between starts mainly as a left-hander.

Cijntje hasn't made an appearance in relief since April 30. For now, it seems like Everett and Mariners are staying focused on Cijntje developing as a starter throwing primarily from the right side.

Related Minor League Baseball stories

UNDER THE RADAR MARINERS PROSPECT HAS MULTI-HOMER DAY FOR HIGH-A CLUB: Mariners infielder Luis Suisbel continued to add to his career-best season with a multi-home run performance. CLICK HERE

TOP MARINERS PROSPECT ON TORRID STRETCH FOR HIGH-A EVERETT: The best prospect in the Mariners farm system is in the middle of the best stretch of his pro career. CLICK HERE

MARINERS CLAIM OUTFIELDER OFF WAIVERS, OPTION HIM TO TRIPLE-A: The Mariners added Jacob Hurtubise to their minor league ranks and filled the 40-man roster with the move. CLICK HERE

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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