Seattle Mariners Projected to Draft Fascinating College Player
The 2024 MLB Draft is coming up on July 14, and the Seattle Mariners own the 15th pick in the first round. In the last three years, they've selected high school bats (Harry Ford, Cole Young and Colt Emerson).
This year, many pundits are expecting for the Mariners to go with pitching. According to a mock draft from the Athletic's Keith Law posted on Thursday, Seattle might go with arguably the most polarizing prospect in this year's class.
Law projected the Mariners to select switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje out of Mississippi State, and had this to say about Seattle's potential selection:
"I’ve heard the Mariners covet Cijntje, and prefer pitching to hitting at this spot; if the latter is true, and (Chase Burns), (Hagen Smith), and (Trey Yesavage) are gone, there is no viable alternative among college pitchers to the Curacaoan left-and-right-hander."
Cjintje has long been heralded, and panned, for his ability to pitch proficiently with both hands. Some analysts and pundits have said his ability to do both makes him a can't miss prospect, and others have said the likelihood of him pitching well with both hands at the major league level is slim.
Cjintje has been clocked throwing 95 miles an hour with with his left hand and 98 miles per hour with his right. While at Mississippi State in 2024, he struck out 113 batters in 16 games and 90.2 innings pitched and had a 3.67 ERA.
Throwing Gas!⛽
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) May 24, 2024
📺» https://t.co/R9DVzE9EfE#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/bFcWgpsHWc
According to MLB Pipeline, Cijntje's fastball graded at 60 on the website's 20-80 scale, his slider graded at 55 and his changeup clocked in at an average score of 50.
Seattle is lacking in top prospect pitching. Logan Evans is currenetly clocking in at No. 80 on Baseball America's recent top 100 list. Evans is the team's only pitcher to be featured on the list.
Cijntje would add some more starting potential to the Mariners' farm system and would give Seattle a polarizing prospect that is sure to generate some national attention.
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
MARINERS STARTER SET TO MAKE HIS RETURN: Bryan Woo will make his return for the Seattle Mariners on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels. CLICK HERE
MARINERS PITCHING PROSPECT EARNS HONOR: Brandyn Garcia of the Seattle Mariners' Double-A Arkansas Travelers was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week on Monday. CLICK HERE
DEMON DEACON PROJECTED TO THE MARINERS: MLB Pipeline's Jonathan Mayo predicted Wake Forest's Seaver King, the No. 17 prospect according to the site, will get drafted by the Seattle Mariners in latest mock draft. CLICK HERE
Follow Inside the Mariners on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady
