The BAPR is a free daily morning newsletter. Please consider help spreading the word by forwarding to your friends and helping us grow the Baseball America community!

Cam Schlittler, RHP, Yankees: Schlittler opened the season in Double-A Somerset ranked No. 14 in the Yankees system. With the way he's pitching, he has a great chance to end it in New York's playoff rotation. The 24-year-old Massachusetts native fired another gem Monday, blanking the Nationals over six innings while striking out eight batters. It was Schlittler's second consecutive scoreless eight-strikeout outing where he pitched into the sixth inning. On the season, Schlittler owns a 2.76 ERA and 46 strikeouts through 42.1 innings.

Now ranked in the Top 100, Schlittler's rise coincides with continued improvement of his fastball, which has average 97.8 mph in his brief big league career—a step up from his 94 mph average a season ago, which was an improvement from early in his pro career. The 2022 seventh-rounder has leaned primarily on the heater as a big leaguer (58% usage) and rounds out his arsenal with a cutter and curveball, plus a sweeper he works in sporadically.

Even if his 10.9% walk rate and expected ERA indicators point to a bit of regression coming, Schlittler's arsenal is fiery enough to help the Yankees as they try to keep pace in the American League playoff push and subsequently in the postseason. There's a chance he could even emerge as their No. 3 starter in a postseason series behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodón depending on how Luis Gil's control bounces back as he settles in after missing ample time with a lat injury.

Ian Seymour, LHP, Rays: Another Massachusetts native also turned in a superb outing Monday night. Making his first career start, Seymour tossed five scoreless innings with a season-high eight strikeouts against the Guardians. He scattered just one hit and one walk. Seymour has bounced between Triple-A Durham, where he was a member of the rotation, and Tampa Bay, where he has pitched to a 3.18 ERA over 28.1 innings mostly in relief. Seymour doesn’t have overwhelming velocity on his 92 mph fastball but he has three different fastball shapes, including a cutter that he has used more than 20% of the time in the majors, and he’s comfortable pitching backwards off his mid-80s changeup. The 26-year-old has done a great job avoiding barrels and racking up strikeouts (29.8% strikeout rate) in limited big league action so far and may have earned himself a more extended look in the rotation down the stretch.

Carson Williams, SS, Rays: For someone who struggled to find his rhythm in the minors, Williams has made a remarkably smooth and poised transition to the big leagues through his first three games. That continued Monday night against the Guardians, when he went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Williams is 5-for-12 to start his MLB career, with three RBIs, including a two-run homer in his MLB debut. So far, he’s proving he can hang at this level.

Maximo Acosta, SS/2B, Marlins: Acosta is making every big at-bat count. The Marlins' No. 28 prospect has burst into the majors with authority, and his first three career big league hits have all left the yard. On Monday, he launched a 404-foot shot to center off Braves righthander Pierce Johnson that left the bat at 102.5 mph. The Marlins acquired Acosta along with Brayan Mendoza and Echedry Vargas from the Rangers in the Jake Burger trade, and he has announced his arrival in emphatic fashion.

Edgar Montero, SS, Athletics: The A’s international pipeline is starting to show real promise. Luis Morales owns a 1.72 ERA through 15.2 big league innings. And while he is a lot longer away, 18-year-old shortstop Edgar Montero is making some noise in the Dominican Summer League. Montero crushed a three-run shot in an A's 9-1 win over the Red Sox in Game 1 of the DSL semifinals. He is hitting .313 with nine home runs and a 1.064 OPS—good for third in the league. With a track record of above-average exit velocities, Montero is quickly positioning himself as one of the A’s most intriguing young prospects.

Editor’s Picks

10 Statcast Standouts: Every week, Eli Ben-Porat examines 10 players who stood out based on their underlying Statcast metrics. These are not full scouting reports, but often serve as good early indicators of prospects who might be ready to break out or are demonstrating MLB-ready skills.

Last week, we marveled at the emergence of three pitchers who are suddenly wielding arsenals filled with plus pitches, with a deep dive on Trey Gibson and Payton Tolle. This week we'll discuss:

• Is Jonah Tong the next Spencer Strider?

• Abimelec Ortiz's magical trifecta of major league skills

• Trey Yesavage's release height is one of a kind

• A Twins breakout prospect is emulating Matt Carpenter

• A low-minors stuff monster in the Pirates' org

• Another trio of Marlins draftees

• An early look at Ryan Clifford's Triple-A data

• Shane Bieber's new changeup is spectacular

Baseball America Helium Pick Of The Day

Each day, we’ll pick a prospect that has our attention.

Anthony Huezo, OF, Astros: Huezo was one of the youngest players in the 2023 draft class when the Astros selected him in the 12th round. He took some time to get his feet under him in pro ball despite stints at High-A, Double-A and Triple-A over the last two seasons. A majority of his pro experience outside of the complex has come with Low-A Fayetteville this season. Huezo has impressed, showing a combination of on-base skills and plus raw power that’s yet to fully show up in games. Huezo’s 107.2 mph 90th percentile exit velocity stands out for a 19-year-old, and he’s consistently hitting the ball at good angles. His bat-to-ball skills are currently below average, but incremental improvements in that area could yield big results. Look for Huezo to jump into the Astros' Top 30 this offseason.

Quick Hits

Prospect news and notes from around baseball…

• A’s righthander Jack Perkins received an injection in his right shoulder after hitting the injured list Friday with a shoulder strain.

• Reds RHP Chase Burns is expected to throw a bullpen today as he works his way back from an elbow injury.

In Case You Missed It