Cam Schlittler, a 24-year-old right-hander (6’6”, 225 lbs), has rapidly ascended through the Yankees’ system. After being drafted in 2022 in 7th round out of Northeastern University, he dominated the minors in 2024, earning Yankees Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors. In 25 minor-league games across High-A, Double-A, and a brief Triple-A cameo in 2024, he went 8–8 with a 3.36 ERA and struck out 154 batters in 120⅔ innings (11.5 K/9). His WHIP was a solid 1.27 and though walks were on the higher side (4.1 BB/9), he held opponents to just 7.3 hits per nine (H/9).
In 2025, Schlittler has continued to impress, splitting time between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In 15 games he posted a 2.82 ERA over 76⅔ innings with 99 strikeouts (an 11.6 K/9 rate) against 26 walks. Notably, his walk rate improved to ~3.1 BB/9 in 2025, and his WHIP dropped to 1.21, displaying better command. He allowed only 4 home runs in those 76+ innings (0.5 HR/9), showing an ability to keep the ball in the park (he yielded just 0.7 HR/9 in his minor-league career). Schlittler’s successful minor league run earned him an MLB debut in July 2025 when the Yankees’ rotation needed help to fill the void of Clarke Schmidt, who underwent his second career Tommy John surgery today.
In his MLB debut on Wednesday (7/9/25), Schlittler delivered 5⅓ innings, allowing 3 earned runs (5.06 ERA for the game) and striking out 7 Seattle Mariners. He picked up the win and impressed with his poise and pure stuff. Despite two solo home runs allowed his WHIP in the debut was a tidy 1.125 and he fanned 7 of 21 batters faced (nearly 12 K/9). This one outing is a small sample, but it showcased the high-octane arsenal he displayed in the minors. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted that Schlittler’s “stuff really plays” in the majors and praised the rookie’s composure and improved secondary pitches. Boone confirmed Schlittler had “earned this opportunity” by “putting up the numbers and doing the work” in the minors, and promised he’d get another start after the All-Star break.
Schlittler’s pitch arsenal is headlined by a riding four-seam fastball and a sweeping slider. According to MLB Pipeline scouting reports, his fastball is graded 60 (above-average) and in 2024 it jumped in velocity, now sitting 93–96 mph and touching 98 mph with high spin rates and a natural cut action. In fact, in his MLB debut, Schlittler averaged 97.9 mph on his heater, the highest average fastball velocity of any Yankees pitcher this season, and even hit 100 mph, instantly making him “the hardest-throwing member” of the Yankees rotation. That high-spin fastball has late life (“carry”) that makes it hard for hitters to square up or pull. It’s been his “calling card,” as Aaron Boone noted, and it generated a lot of those overpowered swings in the minors and now the majors. He backs up the fastball primarily with a slider (55 grade) that sits in the mid-80s and has a sweeping horizontal break. Scouts consider it his most reliable secondary pitch, effective against both righties and lefties. He also has a curveball (50 grade) in the low-80s, and a firm changeup (upper-80s) that lags behind his other offerings (40 grade). His breaking balls both have good spin, and the slider in particular misses bats. The changeup is a work in progress, it has good depth when he gets it right, but he lacks consistent feel for it and it can be too hard without enough separation from the fastball. In his debut, reports noted improved secondary pitches, an encouraging sign that he’s learning to mix in the slider/curve effectively at the highest level. Boone specifically highlighted that Schlittler’s ability to stay “under control” with his secondary stuff was as important as anything in his strong debut.
From an advanced metrics perspective, Schlittler’s minor-league dominance in 2024 was reflected in a 30% strikeout rate (best in the Yankees system). His K% likely remained around that level in 2025 (~32%) as he fanned 99 of 310 batters faced. His strikeout-to-walk ratio improved from 2.8 in 2024 to about 3.8 in early 2025, showing a positive trend in command. While we don’t have Statcast data for his minor-league outings, his one MLB start showed an ability to generate whiffs even against big-league hitters. For instance, he froze Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh, MLB’s home run leader, for a strikeout on a 99.6 mph fastball and later got Raleigh swinging as well. Even when Seattle did damage (two solo homers), observers noted Schlittler “didn’t really miss down the middle” with his pitches, the homers came on quality pitches hit by good hitters. This speaks to his advanced pitch ability, but his high velocity and movement provide him with some margin for error.
Scouts within the Yankees organization have grown increasingly high on Schlittler due to his combination of size, stuff, and competitiveness. At 6-foot-6, he gets terrific extension towards the plate; this means his 95+ mph fastballs feel even harder to hitters (effectively “jumping” on them). His delivery benefits from that big frame, he’s described as “more physical than athletic,” but he has made strides in repeating his mechanics. Early in his pro career, Schlittler had some inconsistency (minor injuries and command wobbles in 2023, when he had a 4.11 ERA across lower levels). By 2024, however, he showed improved control and the ability to maintain his delivery deep into games. His control is presently graded 45 (below-average), reflecting that walks can be an issue at times, but the trend is positive (fewer walks in 2025 than 2024).
Notably, Schlittler has a bit of an edge in terms of makeup. He has been described as a confident competitor. In a Yankees prospect feature, Schlittler talked about “feeling confident, staying healthy” as keys to his success. Yankees personnel have noted his maturity and poise, which were on display in his debut: he was amped up beforehand, pacing the clubhouse in anticipation, but once on the mound he channeled that energy effectively. He attacked the Mariners’ lineup aggressively with his fastball and showed composure under pressure, earning praise for looking “ready for primetime” and “very calm” on a big stage. Coming from the Northeast (Walpole, MA) and having pitched in college pressure spots, he seems unfazed by bright lights, his debut in Yankee Stadium ended with a standing ovation, and he took it in stride.
In terms of health, aside from some minor arm fatigue in 2023, Schlittler has no known serious injuries. At 24, he’s entering his prime strength years, and the club is optimistic about his durability given his build and the way his arm has bounced back so far. One area to watch is how his high-effort fastball plays over a full MLB season, maintaining upper-90s velocity deep into games, and whether his secondary pitches can effectively keep hitters off the fastball in longer outings. But the early signs (5⅓ strong innings, 75 pitches in debut with no significant velocity dip) are encouraging.
In summary, Cam Schlittler offers the Yankees rotation an infusion of power, youth, and upside that appears to make him an exciting long-term fit. Schlittler’s strengths (premium fastball, high spin rates, strikeout ability, improving command, sturdy build) align well with what the Yankees need in their rotation. If he continues his current developmental trajectory, refining his secondary pitches and command, he could very well solidify himself as a cost-controlled mid-rotation starter, or better. As Aaron Boone said after Schlittler’s debut, “He’s got a big arm, and he continues to get better”. That improvement curve, combined with the immediate rotation vacancy, is why Schlittler might not just fill Schmidt’s shoes but potentially outgrow them in the Bronx. If Schlittler capitalizes on this chance, the Yankees could have a homegrown rotation pillar in him, much like they envisioned with Schmidt, but with an even higher ceiling. As the statistics and scouting reports have shown, Schlittler has the tools and results that justify the excitement. The Yankees are now eager to see if they can translate into sustained MLB success. Only time will tell “what Schlittler’s story will look like,” but the organization is “excited to find out”, and that optimism itself speaks volumes about his fit and future in pinstripes.
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