The New York Yankees are entering 2026 with a rotation held together by duct tape and high hopes, but the most fascinating storyline in Tampa isn’t about who is injured—it’s about who is stepping up. With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon sidelined to start the year, the Yankees are handing the ball to Cam Schlittler as their number two starter behind Max Fried. This isn’t just a promotion; it is a trial by fire for a 25-year-old who flashed brilliance in a small sample size but now has to carry a rotation for two months.
Schlittler’s rise from a seventh-round pick to a potential frontline starter is built on one thing: elite, overpowering velocity. In his 14 starts last season, Schlittler posted a 2.96 ERA and struck out 84 batters in 73 innings, proving he belongs in the big leagues. But doing it as a rookie with no pressure is different than being the guy expected to stop a losing streak in April.
The Fastball Is a Force of Nature
If you want to know why the Yankees are confident, look at the heater. Schlittler’s four-seamer averaged 98.0 mph last season, placing him in the 95th percentile for Fastball Velocity. It isn’t just fast; it’s unhittable. Opposing batters hit a microscopic .173 against the pitch, with an Expected Batting Average (xBA) of just .208.
He relies on it heavily, throwing it 56% of the time, but when you have a pitch that generates a 27.9% Whiff Rate, you don’t need to overcomplicate things. The question isn’t whether the fastball plays; it’s whether he has enough behind it to navigate a lineup three times.
Matt Blake’s New Project: The Changeup
The Yankees know that a 98 mph fastball and a cutter aren’t enough to survive as a full-time starter, which is why this offseason has been dedicated to developing a third pitch. Pitching coach Matt Blake has been working with Schlittler on a changeup to neutralize left-handed hitters, a crucial development for his long-term survival.
“We’re trying to get him something that he can get below the barrel but can command,” Blake told The New York Daily News earlier this winter. The goal is to avoid the foul-ball wars that drove his pitch count up last year. If Schlittler can tunnel that changeup off his high-ride fastball, he goes from a thrower to a complete pitcher.
Boone’s Vote of Confidence
Manager Aaron Boone isn’t hiding his intentions. He explicitly named Schlittler as a lock for the rotation, noting on MLB Network Radio, “We’re talking about probably [Max] Fried, [Cam] Schlittler, [Will] Warren, [Ryan] Weathers and [Luis] Gil to start the season…”. That is a massive endorsement for a player with less than 100 big-league innings. The Yankees are betting that his seamless delivery and 6-foot-6 frame can handle the workload immediately.
Schlittler has the raw ingredients to be a legitimate No. 2 starter for the next five years. His fastball shape is elite, and the velocity is effortless. If that changeup is even average by May, he isn’t just filling in for Cole—he’s joining him at the top of the rotation permanently.
More about:New York Yankees
