Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening.
The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,” knowing the likelihood of what eventually took place during MLB Spring Breakout at Goodyear Ballpark.
Pitching in his first true game-like environment since being selected in the first round of last summer’s MLB Draft, Cijntje knew that he’d be called upon Friday after lefty Brandyn Garcia. But he wasn’t quite sure he’d match up against Bazzana, who was taken 14 picks ahead of him at No. 1 overall and was batting in the No. 2 hole.
Sometimes in baseball, the stars align.
Cijntje, who was seen warming in the bullpen with both arms before Garcia worked out of a fourth-inning jam, opted to go left-on-left against Bazzana to start the fifth, inducing a hard-chopping groundout to shortstop Brock Rodden on the first pitch. Cijntje then flipped his glove over and pitched right-handed the rest of the way -- even against seven more left-handed hitters.
“There was a lot of adrenaline," said Cijntje, who is the Mariners’ No. 9 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. “I couldn’t even control my body, but I fought through it.”
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Fate brought Bazzana back to the batter’s box for Cijntje’s final at-bat of the night, which was even more fascinating.
Cijntje took off his glove between batters as if he was going to go lefty to Bazzana, as he did the first time, but he surprised most when he instead remained righty. Cijntje then blew a 97 mph elevated four-seam fastball by Bazzana for a swinging strike three in a punctuating conclusion to his night.
“That's something special,” said Bazzana, Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 10 overall prospect in the game. “You don't really see that ever. I think he's got a bright future, and it was cool to battle.”
You don't see this every day. #SpringBreakout pic.twitter.com/BC6QmG43JR
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) March 15, 2025
So, Cijntje’s first pitch of the outing was also his final from the left side, given that Bazzana swung and made contact right away, while his 39 other pitches over two innings were thrown right-handed. In total, he surrendered one unearned run on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
“I was already in a rhythm, and I was like, ‘I'm going to keep throwing from my right side,” Cijntje said.
There was also awe from his teammates.
“Dude, stop it,” said Mariners No. 12 prospect Tai Peete, who went 3-for-3 with a 422-foot homer and a stolen base while playing center field. “I thought it was funny when he switched on the mound and everyone started cheering.”
The decision-making calculus for Cijntje to go right vs. left on Friday hinted at how the Mariners will leverage his ambidextrous skill set as he embarks on his player-development path.
Seattle intends to develop Cijntje as a right-handed starter, which is his better pitching arm and possesses a denser arsenal that features a higher-velocity four-seamer, slider, cutter and changeup. But the Mariners also don’t want to sacrifice his lefty skill, because there is plus potential from that side, where he’s up to 93 mph with a sinker/slider combo.
“It's going to be development-based more than matchup-based,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said. “Obviously, you want to put him in positions to succeed, and I don't think we want to put him in positions where he's pitching to a lot of right-handed hitters left-handed. But I do think we're all in alignment that he needs to develop right-handed to work against the platoon matchup. It can't be every left-handed hitter that comes up.”
There will be expected fluidity to Cijntje’s routine.
The early plan is for him to start righty, and he may pitch left-on-left within that start but probably not all of them. Then in his in-between side session, which would come three days later, he’d do so right-handed, then pitch an inning in relief while left-handed in whatever game falls on that same day.
“There is not a blueprint here at all,” Hollander said. “We want to be honest. We don't want to talk confidently about how we definitely know the right answer here, because we definitely don't know the right answer. And I'm sure we'll have to make adjustments along the way.”
The Mariners have an idea of which Minor League affiliate that Cijntje will begin the season with, but they haven’t yet told him. His goal is to reach Double-A Arkansas by season’s end.
There will certainly be learning curves along the way, but his fascinating path to the Majors got started in a Breakout way on Friday night.
Daniel Kramer covers the Mariners for MLB.com.
GOING TO BAT FOR SMALL BUSINESS PRESENTED BY PNC RETURNS FOR 2025 LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS SEASON
EASTLAKE, Ohio – March 10, 2025 – The Lake County Captains announced that its “Going to Bat for Small Business” program will return for a second season, in collaboration with PNC Bank. The initiative is designed to bolster small businesses across Northeast Ohio. Going to Bat for Small Business presented
2024 MIDWEST LEAGUE CHAMPION LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS UNVEIL ACTION-PACKED 2025 PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE
Highlights include 1995 Tribe Anniversary, Travis Bazzana Bobblehead, State Fair Weekend, Bubblefest & More. TICKETS ON SALE NOW EASTLAKE, OHIO – February 19th, 2025 – The Lake County Captains are excited to unveil an electrifying promotional schedule for the 2025 season, packed with can’t-miss theme nights, historic celebrations, and unforgettable
Lake County Captains Introduce New Bat Dog: Mokoro!
EASTLAKE, Ohio – The Lake County Captains are thrilled to announce Mokoro as their new bat dog for the 2025 season! Mokoro will be bringing joy to fans as she retrieves bats and balls during Thursday home games at Classic Auto Group Park alongside Victoria Brody, her owner and professional
Lake County Captains Announce 2025 Dog Days Schedule
EASTLAKE, Ohio – The Lake County Captains are excited to announce the return of their popular "Dawg Days" at Classic Auto Group Park for the 2025 season! Fans are encouraged to bring their furry friends along to enjoy the action-packed baseball season, with special opportunities to share the fun with
Lake County Captains Announce 2025 Coaching Staff
EASTLAKE, Ohio – In conjunction with the Cleveland Guardians, the Lake County Captains today announced their coaching staff for the 2025 season. Lake County’s staff will once again be led by Manager Omir Santos, who returns as the Captains’ skipper for his third season. Ordomar Valdez returns as Lake County’s
Lake County Captains Named 2024 Baseball America MiLB Team of the Year
EASTLAKE, OH – Baseball America announced today that the Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, have been named their 2024 MiLB Team of the Year. The Captains finished the regular season with a record of 77-53 (.592), compiling the highest percentage in the Midwest League and
Two Captains Named to 2024 All-MiLB Prospect Second Team
EASTLAKE, OH – On Monday, September 30, Minor League Baseball announced its 2024 All-MiLB Prospect Teams during the 2024 MiLB Awards Show on MLB Network. Two Lake County Captains garnered Second Team honors for the 2024 campaign. SS Angel Genao, MLB Pipeline’s No. 4 Cleveland and No. 72 overall prospect,
LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS’ JEN YORKO MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST FEMALE GENERAL MANAGER TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP IN MIDWEST LEAGUE HISTORY
Eastlake, OH – The Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, are proud to announce that General Manager Jen Yorko has made history as the first female General Manager to win a Midwest League Championship. Yorko, who has been with the organization since 2007, led the Captains
Four Captains Named 2024 Midwest League All-Stars, Cooper Ingle Named Most Valuable Player
EASTLAKE, OH – On Thursday, September 19, Minor League Baseball announced its High-A All-Star Teams for the 2024 season. Four Lake County Captains were named Midwest League All-Stars for the 2024 campaign. C Cooper Ingle, MLB Pipeline’s No. 13 Cleveland prospect, SS Angel Genao, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Cleveland and
Captains Win Second Midwest League Title With 9-4 Victory Over Timber Rattlers
EASTLAKE, OH – The Lake County Captains (77-53) (4-1) won their second Midwest League title in franchise history with a 9-4 win over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (77-54) (3-2) on Wednesday at Classic Auto Group Park. After falling 5-4 at Wisconsin in Game 1 of the 2024 Midwest League Championship
Captains win first Midwest League crown since 2010
It had been 14 years since the Lake County Captains won the championship. But after one of the most dominant seasons in Midwest League history, the Guardians' High-A affiliate ousted the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers with a 9-4 victory on Wednesday in a winner-take-all Game 3 at Classic Auto Group Park.
Captains Sink Timber Rattlers 6-2, Force Winner-Take-All Game 3 for Midwest League Title
EASTLAKE, OH – The Lake County Captains (77-53) (3-1) scored five unanswered runs to outlast the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (77-54) (3-1) by a score of 6-2 on Tuesday night at Classic Auto Group Park. With the victory, the Captains have now forced a third game to decide the 2024 Midwest
Captains Host Timber Rattlers for Game 2 of 2024 MWL Championship Series With Season on the Line
EASTLAKE, OH – Trailing 1-0 in the best-of-three set, the Lake County Captains (77-53) (2-1) will host the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (77-54) (3-0) for Game 2 of the 2024 Midwest League Championship Series Classic Auto Group Park on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m The Captains seek to win Game 2 and
Timber Rattlers Outlast Captains in Game 1 of Midwest League Championship Series
GRAND CHUTE, WI – The Lake County Captains (77-53) (2-1) fell by a score of 5-4 to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (77-54) (3-0) in Game 1 of the Midwest League Championship Series on Sunday night at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The game featured two ties and four
Captains Advance to Midwest League Championship Series With 5-4 Win Over Dragons
EASTLAKE, OH – The Lake County Captains (77-53) (2-0) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat the Dayton Dragons (74-58) (0-2) by a score of 5-4, advancing to their fourth Midwest League Championship Series in franchise history, and second in the last three seasons. 2B
Cardiac Captains Defeat Dragons 4-3 in Game 1 of Midwest League East Division Championship Series
DAYTON, OH – With the Lake County Captains (77-53) (1-0) leading the Dayton Dragons (74-58) (0-1) 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, LHP Shawn Rapp inherited runners on the corners with no outs. The left-hander got a swinging strikeout, a successful play at the plate from 1B Ralphy Velazquez
Captains and Dragons Meet in 2024 Midwest League East Division Championship Series
DAYTON, OH – The Lake County Captains (77-53) and Dayton Dragons (74-58), the High-A Affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, meet in a best-of-three series for the Midwest League East Division title and a trip to the Midwest League Championship Series starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. from Day Air Ballpark in
Captain of the Week (8/27-9/1): Wuilfredo Antunez
EASTLAKE, OH – After each series this season, the Lake County Captains will spotlight a Captain of the Week, presented by Official League, showcasing a player and their strong performance over the previous week. For the week of August 27 through September 1, Lake County is recognizing OF Wuilfredo Antunez
Captains Outpower Kernels 6-3 in Final 2024 Regular-Season Home Game
EASTLAKE, OH – The Lake County Captains (32-26, 73-51) slugged three home runs to beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels (27-33, 64-60) 6-3 in their final regular-season home game on Sunday at Classic Auto Group Park. The Captains won this week’s series 4-2, and the season series 8-4. Lake County scored
Rivas’s Walk-Off RBI Single Leads Captains to 4-3 Win Over Kernels
EASTLAKE, OH – In the fifth game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (31-26, 72-51) defeated the Cedar Rapids Kernels (27-32, 64-59) by a score of 4-3 at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth
Velazquez and Mooney Power Captains to 7-4 Win Over Kernels
EASTLAKE, OH – In the fourth game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (30-26, 71-51) defeated the Cedar Rapids Kernels (27-31, 64-58) by a score of 7-4 at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. Captains LF Ralphy Velazquez, MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 Cleveland and No. 75 overall
Bazzana Doubles Twice, Captains Fall to Kernels 5-2
EASTLAKE, OH – In the third game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (29-26, 70-51) fell to the Cedar Rapids Kernels (27-29, 64-57) by a score of 5-2 at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. Lake County’s only scoring of the night came in the bottom of
Malmö Oat Milkers’ Comeback Comes Up Short in 7-5 Loss to Cedar Rapids
EASTLAKE, OH – The Malmö Oat Milkers (29-25, 70-50) scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but fell short in a 7-5 loss versus the Cedar Rapids Kernels (26-29, 63-57) at Classic Auto Group Park. In the bottom of the ninth, Oat Milkers C Johnny Tincher and LF
Captains Defeat Kernels in Rain-Shortened Series Opener
EASTLAKE, OH – In the first game of a scheduled six-game series, the Lake County Captains (29-24, 70-49) defeated the Cedar Rapids Kernels (25-30, 62-57) by a score of 5-2 on Tuesday night at Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake. The game was declared official after the top of the
Captain of the Week (8/20-8/25): Dylan DeLucia
EASTLAKE, OH – After each series this season, the Lake County Captains will spotlight a Captain of the Week, presented by Official League, showcasing a player and their strong performance over the previous week. For the week of August 20 through 25, Lake County is recognizing RHP Dylan DeLucia as