The force was with Seattle Mariners' 2024 first-round draft pick Jurrangelo Cijntje in his start for the Everett AquaSox on Star Wars Night on Saturday.
Cijntje had one the best starts of his professional career in a 3-1 win over the Tri-City Dust Devils. His record as a pitcher improved to 2-2 with the win. Both victories have been in May.
Cijntje matched a career-high and threw five innings. He tied another career-high with six strikeouts. Cijntje also walked two, hit a batter and allowed one earned run on two hits (one home run). One walk and one hit came in the first inning before Cijntje settled down to close out his outing on a strong note.
Electric!
— Everett AquaSox (@EverettAquaSox) May 11, 2025
Jurrangelo Cijntje records his sixth strikeout of the night to end the top of the fifth inning. pic.twitter.com/H1ZC41Kb58
Cijntje's start on Saturday was his second of the month. He has a 2.70 ERA with eight strikeouts in 10 innings pitched across his pair of May starts. He had a 6.75 ERA in seven appearances (four starts) in April with 22 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched.
Due to his ambidextrous ability, Cijntje (No. 99 MLB Pipeline top 100, No. 92 Baseball America top 100) has been used as both a starter and reliever this year. His typical schedule has included one start a week, primarily right-handed, with one relief outing in the middle of his starts. He's pitched mainly left-handed as a reliever.
Cijntje didn't pitch as a reliever in the week between his two starts this month, possibly due to his pair of career-long outings. He generated outs with both hands Saturday, but failed to register a strikeout as a southpaw.
The former Mississippi State pitcher has a 5.27 ERA this season in nine appearances (six starts) in 2025. He's fanned 30 batters in 27.1 innings pitched and has held opposing batters to a .196 average.
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