Team USA manager Mark DeRosa announced during a live interview on MLB Network’s MLB Central that New York Yankees star Aaron Judge will join the 2026 World Baseball Classic roster. Judge, who will make his WBC debut, was also named team captain, replacing Mike Trout in the leadership role.
"I wanted to be there… I was looking forward to this opportunity again."
Aaron Judge announces he will be playing for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/dPAUza9yyC
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 14, 2025
“Watching those videos of the last WBC gave me the chills. It wasn’t the best watching it at home and seeing USA battle. I wanted to be there, even though I was in the middle of free agency,” Judge said live on air with DeRosa, Lauren Shehadi, and Robert Flores. “Being the captain is a true honor—especially with Mike Trout having that position in the last event.”
The Yankees captain is the first player officially confirmed for Team USA’s 2026 roster.
ALL RISE.
Aaron Judge will play #ForGlory🇺🇸 in the 2026 World Baseball Classic! pic.twitter.com/C4HM9foyjl
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) April 14, 2025
Judge takes over the captain role from Trout, who held the role in 2023. Both DeRosa and Trout were reportedly involved in the decision and supported Judge stepping into the leadership spot.
CAPTAIN AMERICA 🇺🇲
Aaron Judge will lead Team USA in the 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic. pic.twitter.com/42w1z744nk
— MLB (@MLB) April 14, 2025
The Yankees captain is the first player officially confirmed for Team USA’s 2026 roster. Judge takes over the captain role from Trout, who held the role in 2023. Both DeRosa and Trout were reportedly involved in the decision and supported Judge stepping into the leadership spot.
Mark DeRosa asked Mike Trout for his permission to name Aaron Judge captain of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Trout's response? "He's the one." pic.twitter.com/tKJ812GxQh
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 14, 2025
Judge did not speak with the Yankees front office about his decision to play for the United States in the 2026 WBC, prior to his decision and DeRosa naming him captain as the first player confirmed for their roster.
Aaron Judge says he did not speak with the Yankees about his decision to play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic pic.twitter.com/Jc2p1xhMja
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 14, 2025
Judge also spoke with reporters at Yankee Stadium on Monday ahead of the team’s home series against Kansas City.
"Everyone talked about the atmosphere, the experience…it's nothing like they've ever seen. Especially some guys that have never been in a playoff atmosphere, they're like, 'this is the best baseball I've ever played.'"
– Aaron Judge on his call to play in the WBC pic.twitter.com/lLmmQrSdrK
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 14, 2025
Judge spoke about the brave men and women that have fought for the country of the United States of America and what it means to wear USA across his chest.
"Thinking about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country, and laid their lives down for us to get a chance to play a game…it's a pretty humbling experience"
– Aaron Judge on being named captain of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic pic.twitter.com/1dRalebcit
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 14, 2025
The 32-year-old, 6-foot-7 right-handed slugger from Linden, Calif., made his Major League Baseball debut with the Yankees on August 13, 2016. Over his 10 seasons in the Bronx, Judge has been a six-time All-Star, won the American League MVP in 2022 and 2024, earned the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2017, and secured the Silver Slugger Award in 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2024. He also claimed the AL Hank Aaron Award in 2022 and 2024, received the Roberto Clemente Award in 2023, and led the AL in home runs in 2017, 2022, and 2024, as well as RBIs in 2022 and 2024.
In his career, Judge has played in 1,008 games, posting a .289 batting average with 1,046 hits, 177 doubles, five triples, 321 home runs, 736 RBIs, 55 stolen bases, 704 walks, 1,224 strikeouts, and a 1.014 OPS. MLB.com
Last season, Judge led the majors with a 10.8 WAR, 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and 133 walks, while slashing .322/.456/.703. His performance was instrumental in helping the Yankees reach their 41st World Series appearance, though they ultimately fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
In 2024, Judge appeared in 158 games, recording 180 hits, 36 doubles, one triple, 10 stolen bases, and 171 strikeouts over 704 plate appearances.
To start the 2025 season, Judge has played in 15 games, hitting .357/.478/.750 with 20 hits, four doubles, six home runs, 20 RBIs, and two stolen bases over 56 at-bats. StatMuse
Judge is currently tied for the major league lead with six home runs, alongside Tommy Edman, Wilmer Flores, Kyle Schwarber, Mike Trout, and Tyler Soderstrom, and leads the league with 20 RBIs.
The Yankees (8-7) began their three-game home series against the Kansas City Royals (8-8) on April 14 at 7:05 p.m. EDT.
USA Baseball 2026 WBC Coaching Staff
Manager – Mark DeRosa
Assistant Manager – Brian McCann
Assistant Manager – Fredi Gonzalez
Assistant Manager – Michael Young
Bench Coach – Skip Schumaker
Hitting Coach – Matt Holliday
Pitching Coach – Andy Pettitte
Bullpen Coach – David Ross
First Base Coach – George Lombard
Third Base Coach – Dino Ebel
Team USA will face Italy, Mexico, Great Britain, and Brazil in Pool B of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, from March 6–11.
DeRosa, who led Team USA to the championship game in 2023, returns as manager for a second WBC cycle. In 2023, the U.S. squad fell 3-2 in a tightly contested final against top-ranked Japan at loanDepot Park in Miami.
Aaron Judge is the first player officially named to the 2026 roster and will serve as team captain. While many fans are eager to speculate about who might join Judge next spring, Team USA officials are still in the early stages of evaluating players and monitoring performances across Major League Baseball.
For more on DeRosa’s return, see USA Baseball Brings Back Manager Mark DeRosa for 2026 World Baseball Classic and USA Baseball Announces 2026 WBC Coaching Staff Under Manager Mark DeRosa.
Team-building decisions will also be influenced by WBC eligibility rules, which allow players to represent countries tied to their ancestry—a factor especially important for nations like Italy, Israel, and Great Britain. Learn more about WBC rules here.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation in partnership with Major League Baseball, the MLB Players Association, and WBC Inc. Full pool matchups and dates are posted at MLB.com, though game times have yet to be announced.
Japan has won the WBC three times (2006, 2009, and 2023). The United States claimed its only championship in 2017, while the Dominican Republic won in 2013.
2026 World Baseball Classic Information
Nicaragua will play against Venezuela, Israel, the Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic in Miami at loanDepot Park from March 6-11 in Pool D.
Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia will compete in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium from March 6-11 in Pool A.
Japan, Australia, South Korea, Czech Republic, and Chinese Taipei will compete at the Tokyo Dome from March 5-10 in Pool C.
The Quarterfinals of the 2026 WBC will feature the Pool A runner-up facing the Pool B winner on March 13, while the Pool B runner-up will face the Pool A winner on March 14 at Daikin Park.
The other side of the Quarterfinals will be on March 13 with the Pool C runner-up playing the Pool D winner and the Pool D runner-up.
The 2026 WBC semifinals will be held on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park, with the championship game taking place on March 17.
The schedule for the 2026 @WBCBaseball is here! 👀 pic.twitter.com/B5MvUIrZK5
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 9, 2025
WBSC Rankings Outline
Japan is ranked at No. 1 in the World Baseball Rankings and will play in their sixth WBC. Chinese Taipei hails at No. 2. and will play in their sixth event. Venezuela at No. 3 and will appear for the sixth time at the WBC. Mexico is at No. 4 and will play in their sixth WBC. The United States is at No. 5 and will appear for the sixth time in the WBC. South Korea is labeled at No. 6 and will play in their sixth WBC.
The Netherlands at No. 7 will play in the WBC for the sixth time. Panama at No. 8 will play at the event for the fourth time. Puerto Rico crawling in at No. 9 will appear for the sixth time. Cuba is at No. 10 and will appear in the sixth WBC. The Dominican Republic at No. 11 will play in their sixth event. Australia pipelines at No. 12 and will play for the sixth time at the WBC.
Colombia at No. 13 and will appear in their third WBC. Italy is at No. 14 and will play in their sixth event The Czech Republic at No. 15 will appear in their second WBC. Nicaragua is ranked at No. 16 and will appear in the WBC for the second-time.
Great Britain at No. 18 will play for the second time at the WBC. Israel is ranked at No. 19 and will play in their third WBC. Canada is at No. 22 and will play in their sixth event. Brazil is ranked at No. 23 and will play in their second WBC.
In the 2023 WBC, Nicaragua, Great Britain, and the Czech Republic played in their first event. Israel and Colombia have played in three consecutive WBC events dating back to 2017. Brazil is appearing in the WBC for the first time since 2013. Panama has played in the WBC previously in 2006, 2009 and 2023, prior to 2026.
China will not be participating for the first time in the WBC since they did not qualify in the second qualifier in Tucson, Ariz., while going 0-3. They have been in the WBC since 2006, in the event’s first year.
The teams that are playing in the 2026 WBC and are part of the WBSC Americas sector are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. In the WBSC Europe sector, Italy, Israel, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands are participating in the 2026 event.
Japan, Chinese Taipei, and South Korea are in the WBSC Asia sector and Australia is in the WBSC Oceania sector.
All the other listed remaining countries have played in the WBC since its first year in 2006.
The WBC is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the sports governing body alongside Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the WBCI, that partner in organizing the event during spring training.
The 2026 WBC pool matchups for all games are slated on https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/venues with the confirmed dates, and no game start times have yet been announced.
If teams end up with the same record in pool play the Total Quality Balance run differential rule will be in effect for runs for and runs against alongside the head-to-head record.
2026 WBC Pool Matchups With Confirmed Dates
Pool A – Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, Canada & Cuba
Venue – Hiram Bithorn Stadium – San Juan, Puerto Rico
March 6
Game 1 – Cuba vs. Panama
Game 2 – Puerto Rico vs. Colombia
March 7
Game 3 – Colombia vs. Canada
Game 4 – Panama vs. Puerto Rico
March 8
Game 5 – Colombia vs. Cuba
Game 6 – Panama vs. Canada
March 9
Game 7 – Colombia vs. Panama
Game 8 – Cuba vs. Puerto Rico
March 10
Game 9 – Canada vs. Puerto Rico
March 11
Game 10 – Canada vs. Cuba
Pool B – United States, Mexico, Brazil, Great Britain & Italy
Venue – Daikin Park – Houston, Texas
March 6
Game 1 – Mexico vs. Great Britain
Game 2 – United States vs. Brazil
March 7
Game 3 – Brazil vs. Italy
Game 4 – Great Britain vs. United States
March 8
Game 5 – Great Britain vs. Italy
Game 6 – Brazil vs. Mexico
March 9
Game 7 – Brazil vs. Great Britain
Game 8 – Mexico vs. United States
March 10
Game 9 – Italy vs. United States
March 11
Game 10 – Italy vs. Mexico
Pool C – Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia, South Korea & Czech Republic
Venue – Tokyo Dome – Tokyo, Japan
March 5
Game 1 – Chinese Taipei vs. Australia
Game 2 – Czechia vs. South Korea
March 6
Game 3 – Australia vs. Czechia
Game 4 – Japan vs. Chinese Taipei
March 7
Game 5 – Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia
Game 6 – South Korea vs. Japan
March 8
Game 7 – Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea
Game 8 – Australia vs. Japan
March 9
Game 9 – South Korea vs. Australia
March 10
Game 10 – Czechia vs. Japan
Pool D – Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Venezuela, Israel & Nicaragua
Venue – loanDepot Park – Miami, Fla.
March 6
Game 1 – Netherlands vs. Venezuela
Game 2 – Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic
March 7
Game 3 – Nicaragua vs. Netherlands
Game 4 – Israel vs. Venezuela
March 8
Game 5 – Netherlands vs. Dominican Republic
Game 6 – Nicaragua vs. Israel
March 9
Game 7 – Dominican Republic vs. Israel
Game 8 – Venezuela vs. Nicaragua
March 10
Game 9 – Israel vs. Netherlands
March 11
Game 10 – Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela
The 2026 WBC semifinals will be held on March 15 and 16 at loanDepot Park, with the championship game taking place on March 17.
(AP Foto/Pamela Smith)
