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 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, it was the culmination of a dream decades in the making.
“It’s just surreal,” said his father, John Schlittler, the longtime police chief of neighboring Needham. “We’ve watched him pitch since Little League. To see him on that mound, in that uniform, doing what he loves… it’s overwhelming.”
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—leading Walpole High to deep playoff runs and 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 in Walpole, 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.
And though he grew up a Red Sox fan, Schlittler has made peace with his new stripes.
“I’ve been converted,” he 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. But regardless of how the rest of the season unfolds, Walpole already has its newest hometown hero.
From the local ballfields of Walpole Little League to the biggest stage in baseball, Cam Schlittler’s story is just beginning—and back home, they’ll be watching every pitch.
