DURHAM (DA) — Curaçao switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje struck out a career-high 11 batters over 6 1/3 innings before leaving Triple-A Memphis’ 3-2, 10-inning loss to Durham on Thursday with an apparent injury.
Cijntje, pitching exclusively right-handed, allowed two hits and one walk while throwing 53 of his 72 pitches for strikes at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
The 23-year-old departed after issuing a four-pitch walk to Oliver Dunn with one out in the seventh. Cijntje appeared to experience discomfort near his right hamstring after the final pitch and was examined on the mound by Memphis manager Ben Johnson and athletic trainer Riku Shibata.
He walked off under his own power. The runner later scored on an RBI single allowed by reliever Ryan Murphy, leaving Cijntje charged with one run.
The performance surpassed the previous career high of 10 strikeouts that Cijntje set with High-A Everett on Aug. 2, 2025, and matched for Double-A Springfield on May 16.
Cijntje generated 17 swings and misses, tied with Baltimore Orioles prospect Juaron Watts-Brown for the most by a Triple-A pitcher Thursday. Sixteen came against his fastball-slider combination, and his four-seam fastball reached 97.9 mph.
The St. Louis Cardinals’ No. 12 prospect lowered his Triple-A ERA to 6.29. He had allowed 16 earned runs over 18 innings in his previous four appearances following his July 15 promotion from Springfield.
Cijntje joined the Cardinals from the Seattle Mariners in the February trade involving Brendan Donovan. Seattle selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft.
He has recorded 132 strikeouts over 104 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season, posting a 5.33 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in his second professional campaign.