Cam Schlittler is turning heads for the New York Yankees, and one of ESPN’s most respected MLB voices is on board. The 25-year-old right-hander hasn’t allowed a run in his first two starts of 2026, prompting a bold top-10 claim from Buster Olney. Between a historic rotation stretch and young Gerrit Cole comparisons, Schlittler is rapidly becoming one of the most talked-about arms in baseball — and the New York Yankees are only getting started.
New York Yankees’ Cam Schlittler Earns Buster Olney’s Praise
Olney didn’t mince words on X, writing, “Cam Schlittler might be a Top 10 starter right now; he’s allowed three hits in 11 2/3 innings.” That’s not a small statement from one of the most connected insiders in the sport. Through two starts, Schlittler has been nothing short of dominant for the New York Yankees — 11 2/3 scoreless innings, 15 strikeouts, three hits allowed, and a 0.26 WHIP, per Baseball Savant.
The New York Yankees are 5-1 to start the season, and their pitching staff has been the driving force. New York has allowed just six total runs across their first six games — the third-fewest by any team over that span in MLB history.
Schlittler’s Rapid Rise Through the New York Yankees System
Schlittler’s rise has been one of the best development stories in recent Yankees history. A seventh-round pick out of Northeastern in the 2022 draft, the 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-hander was sitting at an underwhelming fastball velocity when he entered the organization. Now, he’s a flamethrower.
The New York Yankees started turning him loose in 2025, and he delivered. In 14 starts, Schlittler posted a 2.96 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 73 innings and a 1.22 WHIP. He reminded some of a young Gerrit Cole on the same staff — a hard-throwing power righty with a devastating fastball who attacks hitters from both sides of the plate for the Yankees.
Then came October. Schlittler absolutely dazzled in the postseason, tossing 14.1 innings with 14 strikeouts and a 1.26 ERA. His legendary performance against Boston — eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in a do-or-die Wild Card game against his hometown Red Sox — is the moment that put him under the national spotlight.
What This Means for the New York Yankees in 2026
Schlittler has picked up right where he left off. The Yankees are rolling with a four-man rotation of Max Fried, Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers to open the year, per Jon Heyman. And here’s the scary part — Gerrit Cole hasn’t even thrown a regular-season pitch yet in 2026 as he works back from Tommy John surgery.
How high is Schlittler’s ceiling? The sky’s the limit. His development from a low-90s college arm to a triple-digit fireballer has been rapid, and it looks like it’s full steam ahead for the New York Yankees’ most exciting young pitcher in years.
ESPN Insider Drops Bold Claim About New York Yankees’ Rising Star