(Bronx, NY) – The Yankees rotation is in disarray, to put it mildly. So when the chips are down, who better to turn to than a 6-foot-6 righty with an upper 90s fastball? Cam Schlitter, the Yankees top pitching prospect, will make his big league debut Wednesday — against the Seattle Mariners. And it comes at a time of extreme need for the New York rotation, with Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil, and Gerrit Cole all on the injured list.
So who is Schlitter? After starring at Boston’s Northeastern University, the Yanks selected him in the 7th round of the 2022 draft. His long frame lends to natural extension on his pitches — meaning his velocity plays up, as the ball gets on hitters more quickly. Schlitter saw his fastball velo tick up last year — working in between 93 and 96 MPH, but touching 98 MPH. He lead the minor league system in strikeouts (154 in 120 2/3 innings) and advanced to Triple-A by the end of the season.
Schlitter’s delivery and plus size could translate to durability as a starter — potentially giving the Yanks’ rotation a boost in terms of innings pitched. And given his fastball’s carry through the zone, natural cutting action, and high spin rate — it’s fair to expect a lot of groundballs and limited home runs allowed.
In addition to his four-seamer, Schlitter has a pair of breaking balls he uses to keep batters of balance. Scouts say his sweeping mid-80s slider is more reliable than his curveball, which he spins in the low-80s. In order to further develop his game, and potentially pitch toward to the front-end of a rotation, Schlitter will need to improve his changeup. It’s not as good of a pitch — and with a velo in the upper 80s, it’s too firm. Still, scouts suggest the pitch has good depth when Schlitter is going well.
Growing up in Massachusetts, Schlitter has shook off his Red Sox fandom since becoming a member of the Bronx Bombers organization. Manager Aaron Boone is excited to watch the young righty get his feet wet at the big league level. “He’s been really good,” Boone told The New York Post. “He’s exciting. He got some really good opportunities in spring training. We got to see him a lot … [and] he really impressed. He’s come on fast and done a good job and certainly put himself in the mix.”
