Walpole’s Cam Schlittler during his debut outing, pitching for the New York Yankees. photo courtesy of totalapexsports.com
Cam Schlittler has always been known for bringing the heat. But on Tuesday night, under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium, the Walpole native and son of longtime Needham Police Chief John Schlittler turned up the flame—and the whole country took notice.
The 24-year-old right-hander made his major league debut for the New York Yankees against the Seattle Mariners, tossing 5⅓ innings, striking out seven, and hitting 100 mph on the radar gun in a 9–6 Yankees win. It was a gritty, adrenaline-fueled performance that earned Schlittler his first big-league win—and a standing ovation from 45,000 fans in the Bronx.
For the folks back home in Walpole and long time friends in Needham, it was the culmination of a dream decades in the making. Congratulations and well-wishes came from all around, including the Needham Police Department who posted this on their FaceBook page prior to the game.
“Big congratulations to Chief John Schlittler’s son, Cam Schlittler, on making his Major League Baseball debut with the New York Yankees tomorrow evening!
What an incredible accomplishment and a moment the entire Schlittler family will remember for the rest of their lives. This is a proud time for our whole community, something we can all be proud of.
From the baseball fields of Walpole, to the bright lights of Yankee Stadium, your hard work and dedication have paid off. We can’t wait to watch what the future holds.
The Needham Police family is cheering you on every step of the way.”
Cam’s path to the majors was classic New England tough: no shortcuts, no hype, just hard work. A 2019 graduate of Walpole High School, he was a standout athlete in both baseball and basketball. On the mound, though, he was electric— earning himself All-State recognition twice.
From there, he stayed close to home, committing to Northeastern University in Boston. It was at NU where Schlittler refined his mechanics, filled out his 6-foot-6 frame, and developed the devastating fastball-slider combo that caught the attention of scouts. He finished his college career with a 21–4 record and 213 strikeouts over three seasons.
Drafted in the seventh round by the Yankees in 2022, Schlittler spent the past two and a half years grinding his way through the minor leagues. His breakthrough came this spring when he was named the Yankees’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year after dominating Double-A with a 2.38 ERA. His promotion to Triple-A Scranton in early June signaled that the call-up was imminent.
And when Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt went down with a season-ending injury last week, Schlittler got the nod.
“I told myself I’d treat it like any other start,” Schlittler said in the postgame interview. “But when I stepped on that mound… it hit me. This is the show. This is what you dream about as a kid.”
If he was nervous, it didn’t show. Schlittler opened the game by striking out Seattle leadoff hitter J.P. Crawford on three pitches—each one faster than the last. His fastball sat at 97–99 mph for most of the night and topped out at 100.1, the fastest pitch thrown by a Yankee this season. He punched out seven batters, including the league’s home run leader Cal Raleigh—twice.
He did allow two home runs and a total of three runs, but showed poise beyond his years by stranding runners and minimizing damage. Manager Aaron Boone praised the rookie’s composure.
“He’s got electric stuff, no doubt,” Boone said. “But what impressed me most was how he handled the moment. That’s a tough lineup, a big stage, and he didn’t blink.”
The Yankee offense backed him up with two homers from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and a late surge to secure the win.
Back home, friends, former coaches, and neighbors gathered to watch the debut. Local watering holes erupted in cheers when Schlittler struck out the side in the third inning. His family made the trip down to New York, more than 20 members strong, decked out in custom Yankees shirts bearing “Schlittler” across the back. Cameras caught their emotional reactions from the stands after each big pitch.
“It’s just surreal,” said Chief Schlittler. “We’ve watched him pitch since Little League. To see him on that mound, in that uniform, doing what he loves… it’s overwhelming.”
And though they’re part of Red Sox Nation, the Schlittler family has made peace with their son’s new stripes.
“I’ve been converted,” Cam said with a grin. “Yankees fans have been unbelievable. I’m proud to be here, and I’m going to give them everything I’ve got.”
Schlittler is expected to make his second start after the All-Star break. When he does, Walpole, Needham and the rest of our communities will be watching every pitch.
