Cam Schlittler and 3 other players guaranteeing themselves a roster spot in 2026

As the New York Yankees close in on another postseason berth, rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler is simply trying to make the playoff roster.

Schlittler’s pursuit of a potential Game 3 start took a significant blow after he allowed four runs and walked five in a 10-9 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Pitching with a 9-0 lead, Schlittler failed to make it out of the fifth inning and threw only 49 of his 89 pitches for strikes.

“That’s obviously the goal,” Schlittler told reporters. “You’re not going to get those opportunities when you walk five against a team that’s not even in the race.”

Even if Schlittler doesn’t make the postseason rotation, he’s positioned himself to earn a place on the Yankees’ 2026 roster. In fact, we won’t be surprised if he joins Max Fried and Carlos Rodón in the Opening Day rotation next spring, especially if Gerrit Cole needs a bit more time to recover from Tommy John surgery.

Schlittler isn’t the only player on a World Series hopeful who is finalizing their chances of cracking their team’s 2026 roster. Here’s a look leaguewide at some others who, based on their performances in recent months, have worked their way into their team’s plans moving forward. 

Honorable mention: Ben Rice, 1B/C, New York Yankees

Rice’s presence shouldn’t be too surprising, and it may even feel cheap. The 26-year-old owns 23 home runs, 26 doubles, 57 RBIs, and an .813 OPS over nearly 500 plate appearances, and he’s all but guaranteed a place in the Yankees’ playoff lineup.

However, Rice warrants a spot on this list because he’ll likely force the Yankees to have some difficult conversations this offseason. Giancarlo Stanton’s contract and age probably lock him into the designated hitter role for 2026, and Aaron Judge also may see increased action there in his age-34 season.

What will the Yankees do with Rice, then? Could Rice enter spring training as the starting first baseman, or might the Yankees move him to catcher and make Austin Wells the backup following an inconsistent season? We have no doubt that Rice will be on the Yankees’ Opening Day roster, though it’s a matter of where he’ll suit up, both in terms of position and lineup spot.

Cam Schlittler, SP, New York Yankees

We won’t go so far as to say that Schlittler came out of nowhere, but there’s no denying he’s impressed as a rookie. Schlittler owns a 3.41 ERA and a 69-29 K-BB ratio through 12 starts, though he’s allowed nine runs and nine walks over his last 12 1/3 innings.

Schlittler’s control hasn’t overwhelmed opponents, with his 4.3 walks per nine innings raising some concerns moving forward. However, he’s nonetheless handled the New York spotlight with aplomb, and he emerged as one of the few bright spots during the Yankees’ prolonged summer slump. While the Yankees were battling through an August that was far worse than their 16-12 record indicates, Schlittler was holding opponents to a .186 average and a .555 OPS across 33 2/3 innings.

By no means are we projecting that Schlittler will win the Cy Young Award or earn All-Star honors next season. At the same time, we are confident that Yankees fans will see plenty of him in 2026. 

Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

Vaughn took a major step back in nearly 200 plate appearances with the Chicago White Sox, batting .189 with 43 strikeouts against seven walks. Then came a June trade which sent Vaughn, the 2019 No. 3 pick, to the Brewers for veteran pitcher Aaron Civale and cash. 

This is the Vaughn the White Sox envisioned when they drafted him out of Cal six years ago. The fifth-year slugger entered Wednesday hitting .313 with nine home runs, 42 RBIs, and an above-average .874 OPS over 223 plate appearances. Vaughn deserves credit for lowering his strikeout rate from 22.3 percent to 14.3 percent while more than doubling his walk rate from 3.6% to 8.1% since joining the Brewers.

Civale, meanwhile, posted a 5.37 ERA and -0.3 bWAR in 67 innings for the White Sox, who joined the crosstown Cubs on waivers at the end of August. Do you think that the White Sox want a do-over here?

Brad Keller, RP, Chicago Cubs

Keller regularly impressed in spurts during his six seasons with the Kansas City Royals, even if his 4.27 ERA and 38-53 record might have you thinking otherwise. However, his 5.44 ERA and -0.2 bWAR across 41 1/3 innings with the White Sox and Red Sox last year forced him to settle for a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Cubs.

Even if Keller doesn’t pitch for the Cubs next year, he’ll likely find a spot somewhere. The 30-year-old has a career-high 2.16 ERA in 65 games, all but one out of the bullpen, and he’s recorded 71 strikeouts against 21 walks in 66 2/3 innings. Keller’s strikeout rate has jumped to 26.9 percent, almost 10 percentage points higher than his career average of 17.9%.

Opponents are only hitting .182 against Keller, who could earn a multi-year deal on the open market. We won’t be surprised, though, to see the Cubs break the bank and bring Keller back for 2026 and beyond.

Gavin Sheets, LF, San Diego Padres

You’re forgiven if you didn’t even realize that Sheets, who was dreadful in four seasons with the Chicago White Sox, was even still in the majors. Although Sheets averaged 12 home runs and a .680 OPS in nearly 1,450 plate appearances with the Chicago White Sox from 2021-24, he totaled -2.8 bWAR over those four seasons. In fact, his career-best numbers with the Padres this year have only pushed him to -1.8 bWAR for his career.

However, let’s give Sheets credit for his unexpected breakout in San Diego. The 29-year-old entered Wednesday batting .261 with 19 home runs, 66 RBIs, 28 doubles, and a .780 OPS, and he’s settled in nicely as a reliable middle-of-the-order presence who can alternate between left field and designated hitter.

Sheets’ 19.6 percent strikeout rate and 8.0 percent walk rate aren’t dramatically different from prior years, with his walk rate matching his career average. Maybe this is nothing more than an example of a player benefiting from a change of scenery.

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