Cam Schlittler, son of Massachusetts police chief, wins MLB debut with New York Yankees
, the son of a Massachusetts police chief who played his college baseball in Boston, won his Major League Baseball debut on Wednesday as the starting pitcher for the New York Yankees.
Schlittler, 24, walked two and struck out seven as the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 9-6. He allowed three runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
One of the team's top-rated prospects, the 6-foot-6 Schlittler threw New York's seven fastest pitches this season and his average fastball velocity of 97.9 mph was the highest for a Yankees pitcher this year.
"Obviously, it's been my goal my whole life," Schlittler said. "I don't think I've really processed it yet."
"You see his stuff really plays," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "I see a lot of potential."
Boone called it "a great first step" and said Schlittler will get another big league start, likely after the All-Star break.
Schlittler, a lanky right-handed pitcher who appeared in 31 games over three seasons at Northeastern University, was drafted by the Yankees in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
He was promoted to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Triple-A team of the Yankees on June 3 and had a 2-1 record and a 3.80 ERA in five starts.
Schlittler grew up in Walpole, Massachusetts. He is the son of Needham Police Chief John Schlittler.
"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," the Needham Police Department . "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."
The pitcher said his girlfriend and cousin were on hand in addition to plenty of friends, and he left 23 tickets for his supporters. But he said he wasn't all that nervous come gametime.
"I think probably had more jitters this morning, honestly," Schlittler said. "I know my dad just in general gets more nervous than I do when I throw."
