Cijntje Named MiLB Pitcher of the Week
The Cardinal Chronicle
Jurrangelo Cijntje Named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur
Jurrangelo Cijntje keeps giving the Cardinals reasons to take notice.
Cijntje, pitching for Triple-A Memphis, is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Week after edging out Cooper Hjerpe in one of the better upper-level pitching battles of the season.
Cijntje worked 6.1 innings, allowing only two hits, one run, one earned run and one walk while striking out 11. He did not allow a home run, finished with a 1.42 ERA, a 0.47 WHIP and posted the top weekly pitching value at 21.2.
That is a dominant Triple-A line.
The strikeouts were the separator. Eleven punchouts over 6.1 innings will jump off any report, but the rest of the line made it even stronger. Cijntje allowed just two hits, kept traffic off the bases and controlled the game from the mound. A 0.47 WHIP at Triple-A is not something you brush aside.
Cooper Hjerpe made the decision close.
Hjerpe worked 7.1 innings, allowing four hits, one run, one earned run and five walks while striking out 10. His 1.23 ERA was slightly better than Cijntje’s, and the extra inning of work gave him a strong case. But the five walks opened the door, and Cijntje’s cleaner WHIP, fewer baserunners and higher strikeout efficiency gave him the edge.
This was not a case of one pitcher winning by default.
Both arms gave Memphis strong outings. Both missed bats. Both limited damage. Both showed why upper-level pitching remains one of the most important areas to watch in the Cardinals’ system.
But Cijntje’s outing had the sharper overall profile.
For a pitcher with his unique background and high-upside arm, this was the kind of performance that reinforces the progress. The stuff has always been intriguing. The question has been whether he can command it well enough to let that stuff carry him against better hitters.
This week, he did.
Cijntje allowed only three total baserunners across 6.1 innings, struck out 11 and kept the ball in the yard. That combination wins a lot of arguments.
The Cardinal Chronicle’s Pitcher of the Week honor goes to the arm that delivered the best full performance, and Cijntje earned it by missing bats, limiting traffic and handling Triple-A hitters with authority.
The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Pitcher of the Week:
Jurrangelo Cijntje, Triple-A Memphis
Weekly Line:
6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 1.42 ERA, 0.47 WHIP
Why He Was Chosen:
Cijntje delivered the best combination of dominance and command, striking out 11 while allowing only two hits and one walk over 6.1 innings. His 0.47 WHIP and swing-and-miss production gave him the edge.
Also in the Mix:
Cooper Hjerpe, Triple-A Memphis — Hjerpe made a strong case with 7.1 innings, one earned run and 10 strikeouts. His outing had length and run prevention, but the five walks kept him just behind Cijntje this week.
Old School Take:
When two Triple-A arms both give you strong outings, the little things decide it. In this case, Cijntje missed more bats and kept the bases cleaner.
Eleven strikeouts. One walk. Two hits.
That will win the week.
The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports & MiLB Today
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Photo Credit: Cooper Hjerpe, Memphis Redbirds | MLB