ESPN: Braves land most interesting player in recent MLB mock draft

Kiley McDaniel of ESPN has released his newest mock draft, in which the Braves sign Jurrangelo Cijntje, a Mississippi State switch-handed pitcher.

24. Atlanta Braves

Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State

This is seen as the floor for the switch–pitching phenom Cijntje. King, Doughty, O’Ferrall, Waldschmidt and Benge are other common connections here.

McDaniel did not go into great detail about Cijnte, so I will fill in some gaps.

Jurrangelo Cijntje was picked by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, but he chose to attend Mississippi State rather than play professionally, which proved to be a great decision, as he is currently anticipated to be drafted first.

Cijntje was a Bulldogs freshmen in 2023, and no one was fooled by his exceptional ability to throw from both sides. He had a 3-5 record with an ERA above 8.00, but the 2024 season was a far better reflection of his abilities, with a 3.67 ERA over 90.2 innings and more than 11 strikeouts per nine innings as the ace of the Mississippi State staff.

Now onto the important stuff. Jurrangelo Cijntje, like many switch hitters, is significantly stronger on one side than the other. At Mississippi State, he usually pitched from the right side, with a fastball that can reach 100 mph and is paired with a slider and changeup. He’s no slouch from the left side, either, and his low-90s fastball and sweeper might pose a challenge to left-handed bats.

Jurrangelo Cijntje’s right-handed arm alone is enough to have him picked in the first few rounds, but scouts feel he has a legitimate shot and can pitch from both sides at the highest level. If he were the Braves’ pick on July 14th, I can’t think of a more intriguing talent to follow as he progresses through the farm system.