Cam Schlittler didn’t come up through the Yankees system as a can’t-miss prospect. He wasn’t the guy with the 100 mph fastball or the wipeout slider that had scouts drooling. But right now, in his second big league season, he’s pitching like the ace everyone thought would take years to find.
Through 19 starts, Schlittler has a 2.01 ERA. He’s struck out 131 batters. He’s 9-5 on a team that’s needed every single one of those wins. And when you ask him about it, he doesn’t dance around the question.
“I feel like I’m pretty confident in myself,” Schlittler told MLB.com. “It’s easy when you have great guys in this locker room to help. Ever since I’ve made some adjustments, I’ve really seen great progress, and I trust my stuff.”
Aaron Boone sees something different in the kid
Yankees manager Aaron Boone has been around enough young pitchers to know when one is for real. With Schlittler, Boone says the thing that stands out isn’t the stuff — it’s how quickly he absorbs information.
“He still feels like the same guy,” Boone said. “He’s a little silly in between starts and has a very light, easy way about him. But what I like about him is, he’s very coachable. You can get on him, you can tell him different things, and he’s going to apply it. He’s a very confident kid.”
That coachability matters more now than ever. The trade deadline is approaching, and the Yankees have decisions to make. Schlittler’s emergence gives them flexibility — maybe they don’t need to overpay for another starter. Maybe they already have one.
The rookie season wasn’t a fluke
Last year, Schlittler made 14 starts and posted a 2.96 ERA. Some people figured it was a small-sample mirage. He was new, hitters hadn’t seen him, maybe he’d regress. Instead, he’s improved. That kind of progression doesn’t happen by accident.
His goal this season? Simple enough.
“People can really say whatever they want; it doesn’t matter,” Schlittler said. “I think I’m going to thrive in the biggest moments. The goal is to win a championship. Whatever I can do to lead us to that is the most important thing.”
Schlittler is only 25. He’s got years of team control left. And if he keeps pitching like this, the Yankees might have stumbled into something they didn’t know they had — a homegrown No. 1 in a rotation full of expensive question marks.
How the rest of the season plays out is anyone’s guess. But Schlittler has already shown he belongs.
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