The fact that this conversation is happening—even externally—is great news. The Yankees have a young, exciting, and highly talented player whose services they’d probably like to retain for a long time. This is not a luxury every organization has, obviously, and extending that relationship is something the Yankees should seriously consider with Cam Schlittler.
Extensions for budding young stars have been as relevant as ever in recent news cycles. Nineteen-year-old Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who just recently made his debut as the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, signed a nine-year $140 million deal to remain in the Steel City until at least 2034. In Detroit, one of baseball’s other top prospects, 21-year-old Kevin McGonigle, inked a comparable eight-year $150 million contract with the Tigers. The Red Sox notably came to terms on a deal like that as well for the ascendant Roman Anthony in August 2025, extending him for eight years and $130 million. Those are some very early-career extensions given the amount of money they could be leaving on the table, but once you get well into nine figures, it’s hard to fault a guy for locking down generational wealth. Heck, Colt Emerson didn’t quite get nine figures from the Mariners, but a month ago, they put $95 million in front of a prospect who still has yet to debut, and he understandably agreed.
Although the amount and length likely won’t match the aforementioned contracts, the Yankees have a similar situation to consider with Schlittler. The 25-year-old delivered a promising half-season in his rookie campaign in 2025, and is now flourishing as a vital member of the Yankees rotation. In the early offing, Schlittler is already easily surpassing the already impressive numbers he posted last season—walks are down, K’s are up, and he hasn’t given up a homer since September 21st—so keeping him around for the long haul may quickly become a priority for the Yankees.
In relation to deals like the ones given to Griffin or McGonigle, the situation between Schlittler and the Yanks is different. He’s older than the two top prospects and more importantly, he’s not a position player. Although it’s certainly something both sides should look into, there are plenty of positives and negatives to consider regarding a possible extension for the righty.
The pros are clear and obvious: he is an excellent pitcher. Schlittler has made five starts thus far in 2026, and his 27.2 innings of work have been simply electric. His start on Friday against the Royals moved his ERA to a sparkling 1.95 on the season, and even more impressively, his FIP remains at an eye-popping 0.88, which leads the majors (as does his 1.0 BB/9). The stuff is excellent, and his early success on the mound only adds to the confidence in his four-pitch mix.
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The positives don’t stop at his clear ability either, as unlike the rest of the current rotation, Father Time is still on his side in this regard. Schlittler only turned 25 in February, and his arrival is well-timed. If everyone’s health is in order, the Yankees have one of the league’s most talented starting groups. But in that core of multiple potential aces (Will Warren just isn’t at that level, and Luis Gil’s future is in complete jeopardy), Schlittler is the lone member on the right side of 30. Max Fried is 32, Carlos Rodón is 33, and Gerrit Cole will turn 36 in September. It is a very good group, but is not a particularly youthful one, so locking up a young gun with ace potential like Schlitter could be a timely move for the Yankees. That’s especially true if there are significant changes to free agent eligibility in the next CBA, which is certainly possible if these other extensions are canaries in the coal mine for slight changes in general front-office philosophy.
While there are plenty of pros here, a potential deal does not come without its risks. As mentioned, Schlittler’s pitcher-hood (for lack of a better term) adds some inherent risk over say, the shortstops that recently inked deals. Think of someone like the Rays’ Shane McClanahan, who didn’t actually sign a deal, but who showed all the potential in the world, only to miss more than two full seasons of action due to injury. Other arms like Spencer Strider, Lance McCullers Jr. and Cristian Javier have spent quite a bit of post-extension time on the shelf as well.
New York has also been burned in the past with extensions for young hurlers. Although it wasn’t the highest-stakes deal, after Luis Severino signed his four-year, $40 million extension prior to the 2019 season, he went on to throw 18 total innings in a three-year span, before returning to results that ranged from so-so to bad. While that’s just one case, it is a clear example of the risk involved in locking down a young pitcher. One day they are the future of the franchise, and the next they can be a non-factor for years. Also, assuming that the next CBA doesn’t alter free agency too much—for all the talks, the status quo is the safer bet as a rule—then Schlittler wouldn’t hit the open market until after 2031, his age-30 season. The Yankees might prefer to just ride it out in that regard.
There is always risk involved when signing a young player with minimal experience, and pitching a baseball at close to 100 mph is risky business. But, the Yankees will have a decision to make at some point or another, and with other extensions being handed out to young phenoms, there’s a chance it’s something that comes up sooner rather than later. There’s plenty to consider with a deal like this, and even with the risk it poses, the top-shelf upside Schlittler has already shown and his possible importance to the future of the franchise is impossible to ignore.
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