Everything to know about top Yankees prospect Cam Schlittler before MLB debut

The New York Yankees are officially starting the Cam Schlittler era, and it couldn’t come at a better time.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed on Tuesday that Schlittler, a 2022 seventh-round pick out of Northeastern, will make his MLB debut on Wednesday night against the Seattle Mariners. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound righty replaces Clarke Schmidt (elbow) in the rotation and will look to help New York begin leaving its summer swoon in the past.

Expectations are high for Schlittler, and rightfully so. He's the team's top pitching prospect, one who's experienced a meteoric rise over just the past couple of months, and he arrives in the midst of the most crucial point in a do-or-die season for the Yankees. So, what can fans expect? Let’s familiarize you with the team's newest starting pitcher ahead of his first big-league start.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.

1. Schlittler’s rapid rise through the Minors is complete

Schlittler opened 2024 at High-A Hudson Valley, and he’s pitching in the big leagues less than two years later. How does a pitcher move through the ranks that quickly?

Easy: Schlittler gets outs, and he regularly took care of business with the Renegades. Schlittler posted a 2.60 ERA and a 108-38 K-BB ratio in 86.2 innings at the level last year, earning a late-season promotion to Double-A Somerset.

Unsurprisingly, Schlittler started this year at Somerset and tallied a 2.38 ERA in 53 innings with the Patriots. And it’s been so far, so good at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre: Schlittler owns a 3.80 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 23.2 innings since his promotion, hardly needing any time to adjust to the level.

There are still kinks to be ironed out; his command can come and go, especially of his three above-average secondaries (a cutter, sweeper and curve), and that can lead to walks and extra-base hits when things go a little haywire. And it's remains to be seen how he'll adjust to the highest level. But it's hard to poke too many holes in what he's doing right now.

2. Schlittler limits his home runs

Yankees fans can still see Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto’s home runs over the last few days leaving the ballpark. It’s a good thing, then, that Schlittler keeps the ball inside the stadium.

Schlittler has only allowed four homers in 76.2 innings, and he has a career 0.7 home run per nine innings ratio in his three Minor League seasons. He keeps the ball on the ground, and that's crucial, especially as a right-handed pitcher who calls Yankee Stadium home. That’s excellent news for a Yankees club whose ERA has climbed to 3.84 in recent weeks. And speaking of the big-league Yankees …

3. Schlittler is already the Yankees’ ninth starting pitcher

The 2024 Yankees only used eight starting pitchers en route to capturing their first pennant since 2009. This year’s club will officially pass that mark on Wednesday night when Schlittler toes the mound at Yankee Stadium.

It won’t be long before the Yankees reach double-digits, either. Luis Gil is expected back within the next month, and the trade deadline isn’t until July 31, by which point fans are hoping New York will have added even more pitching depth.

Credit is in order for Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, each of whom have started a league-high 19 games. Although Will Warren has pitched to a 5.02 ERA, he’s at least been a steady presence with 18 starts. 

Schlittler’s time is now, and we’ll see if he can make the most of it. A strong first impression can go a long way, especially if the Yankees’ injury-plagued pitching staff suffers another blow in the coming weeks.