Cam Schlittler grew up less than 20 miles from Fenway Park -- and ended up pitching for the New York Yankees. The 6-foot-6 right-hander from Walpole, Massachusetts, threw the hardest fastball on the 2025 Yankees staff, averaged 97.9 mph, and made postseason history in his first October. Not bad for a seventh-round pick.
Path to the Bronx
Schlittler pitched at Northeastern University, where he was named the CAA's co-Rookie of the Year in 2021 after going 8-1 with a 1.88 ERA. The Yankees took him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft and signed him for $205,000. He moved through the system quickly -- starting the 2025 season at Double-A Somerset before a promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in June.
When Clarke Schmidt went down with a season-ending injury, the Yankees needed a starter. They called up Schlittler on July 9, 2025, and he never looked back.
Yankees Career
Schlittler's debut against Seattle set the tone -- 5.1 innings, seven strikeouts, a win. He threw the seven fastest pitches on the Yankees' staff that season, and his fastball velocity led the entire pitching staff. Over 14 starts, he went 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA. Those are real numbers, not small-sample noise.
| Position | Starting Pitcher |
| Throws | Right |
| 2025 Record | 4-3 |
| 2025 ERA | 2.96 |
| 2025 Starts | 14 |
| Avg. Fastball | 97.9 mph |
| Draft | 7th round, 2022 (NYY) |
Then came October. The Yankees handed him the ball for Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox -- a kid from Massachusetts pitching against his hometown team in the playoffs. He delivered eight scoreless innings, struck out 12, didn't walk a batter, and became the first pitcher in postseason history to throw 8+ scoreless innings with 12+ strikeouts and zero walks. The Yankees advanced.
Key Moments
Drafted by the Yankees
The Yankees select Schlittler in the seventh round of the 2022 draft out of Northeastern University, signing the Massachusetts native for $205,000.
Rapid Rise Through the Minors
Starts the season at Double-A Somerset before earning a June promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where his fastball velocity and strikeout numbers make a big league call-up inevitable.
MLB Debut
Called up to replace the injured Clarke Schmidt, Schlittler beats Seattle in his debut -- 5.1 innings, seven strikeouts, and a fastball that averaged nearly 98 mph.
Postseason History
Starts Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series against Boston and tosses eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks. He becomes the first pitcher in postseason history to accomplish that stat line.
The Role
Schlittler isn't a depth arm anymore -- he pitched his way into the 2026 rotation conversation with 14 starts and a historic playoff outing. A lat injury has slowed his 2026 spring training, which is worth monitoring, but the stuff is undeniable. A fastball that sits 98, a frame built for innings, and the poise to dominate in October at age 23.
What separates Schlittler from your typical hard-throwing prospect is the composure. Plenty of guys can touch 98 -- fewer can do it in Game 3 of a playoff series against their hometown team with a trip to the Division Series on the line. He didn't nibble, didn't overthrow, didn't try to be someone he wasn't. He attacked the zone, trusted his stuff, and let the Red Sox make themselves out. Twelve strikeouts and zero walks in eight innings isn't just a stat line -- it's a statement about who this kid is under pressure. At 23, most pitchers are still figuring out how to handle a big league clubhouse. Schlittler was handling October.
The 14 regular-season starts told the same story in quieter fashion. A 2.96 ERA over that stretch isn't a hot streak -- it's sustained performance against big league lineups that were scouting him for the first time and still couldn't figure him out. His fastball velocity didn't dip as the season wore on, which matters for a young arm logging innings he'd never logged before. The Yankees moved him from Double-A to Triple-A to the majors in the span of three months, and at no level did he look overmatched. He looked like he belonged.
The Yankees developed this one themselves, and he might be the best arm in the pipeline since Luis Gil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cam Schlittler from?
Schlittler is from Walpole, Massachusetts -- less than 20 miles from Fenway Park. He pitched at Northeastern University in Boston before the Yankees drafted him in 2022.
What was Cam Schlittler's postseason performance?
In Game 3 of the 2025 AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, Schlittler pitched eight scoreless innings, struck out 12, and didn't walk a batter. He became the first pitcher in postseason history to record 8+ scoreless innings with 12+ strikeouts and zero walks.
How hard does Cam Schlittler throw?
Schlittler's fastball averaged 97.9 mph during the 2025 season, the highest average velocity on the Yankees' pitching staff. He threw the seven fastest pitches recorded by any Yankees pitcher that year.
When did Cam Schlittler make his MLB debut?
Schlittler debuted on July 9, 2025, after Clarke Schmidt's season-ending injury opened a rotation spot. He beat the Mariners in his first start -- 5.1 innings, seven strikeouts -- and never went back to the minors.
| Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | ERA | WHIP | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | HR | SV | HLD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NYY | 14 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 2.96 | 1.22 | 73.0 | 58 | 24 | 31 | 84 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | NYY | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 5.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Stats via MLB Stats API & Baseball Savant.
Statcast
Percentile Rankings
vs. all MLB pitchers with min. 50 batters faced.
xERA
0.8
xBA Against
0.1
xSLG Against
0.2
xwOBA Against
0.1
Pitch Usage
Run Value per 100 Pitches
Negative = runs saved (good). Positive = runs allowed (bad).
| Pitch | Usage | Velo | Whiff% | K% | Put-Away% | RV/100 | xwOBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Seam Fastball | 55.9% | 98.0 mph | 27.9% | 31.5% | 23.1% | +1.4 | 0.313 |
| Cutter | 19.7% | 92.0 mph | 27.6% | 28.1% | 18.8% | +0.4 | 0.295 |
| Curveball | 14.8% | 83.3 mph | 22.1% | 25.0% | 18.1% | -0.8 | 0.283 |
| Sinker | 6.1% | 97.6 mph | 21.1% | 17.6% | 14.3% | -0.3 | 0.372 |
| Sweeper | 2.3% | 87.9 mph | 11.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% | -10.6 | 0.507 |
Pitch Movement Profile
Pitch Location
All Pitches
Pitch Count · 68 pitches
Whiff Rate
Whiff Rate · 68 pitches
4-Seam Fastball
Pitch Count · 22 pitches
Cutter
Pitch Count · 22 pitches
Curveball
Pitch Count · 7 pitches