World Baseball Classic: Team USA Roster News, Notes, and Analysis
With the sixth WBC fast approaching, Team USA looks stronger than ever.
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The World Baseball Classic is right around the corner. On February 5, the rosters for all 20 participating countries were announced, and the tournament itself kicks off in less than a month.
Reports and rumors about Team USA’s roster started trickling out last year, dating back to April, when manager Mark DeRosa announced that Aaron Judge would captain the squad. Once the World Series ended, commitments started coming fast and furious in the offseason, especially during the Winter Meetings.
Now, barring any last-minute drop-outs, we know the 30 players who will represent the USA. It’s a dangerous starting lineup and an equally imposing pitching staff.
The article below features every detail you need to know about Team USA ahead of the sixth World Baseball Classic.
World Baseball Classic: Team USA Roster
Update: Corbin Carroll suffered a broken hamate bone and will no longer be able to participate in the tournament.
Position Players
If this isn’t the best possible lineup the American team could put together, it’s pretty darn close. Cal Raleigh and Will Smith are a lethal combination behind the plate. Raleigh is the de facto starter, but the Americans won’t miss a beat when they need to play their “backup” catcher instead.
Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson are the two most exciting young middle infielders in the game. They both play shortstop, but Witt has the better glove and should man the position for Team USA.
Henderson will presumably start at second base instead. It might not be his natural home, but he’s still the strongest choice Team USA could have made for the keystone. Witt and Henderson placed first and third, respectively, on Just Baseball’s ranking of the top 10 shortstops in MLB for 2026.
You could argue that Matt Chapman, not Alex Bregman, is the best American third baseman in MLB right now, but you’d be splitting hairs. Alternatively, perhaps the USA could have put together a slightly stronger roster with yet another shortstop – namely, Corey Seager or Trea Turner – but again, I’m trying to find fault where there isn’t any. This lineup is just that good.
The infielders on the bench include Brice Turang, Ernie Clement, and Paul Goldschmidt. Turang is coming off a breakout season strong enough that it wouldn’t have been surprising if he were Team USA’s starting second baseman.
Clement’s value comes from his sharp defense at all four infield positions. On top of that, he proved last October that he shines when the lights are the brightest. Expect some great quotations and clubhouse moments from the utility man.
Goldschmidt is no longer the star he was when he played in his first two World Baseball Classics. Instead, he’s the elder statesman of the position players. He’ll see his at-bats as a right-handed complement for either Bryce Harper at first base or Kyle Schwarber at DH.
Speaking of Harper, the two-time MVP will be making his WBC debut. According to Just Baseball’s first base rankings, Team USA might have been better off with any of Nick Kurtz, Matt Olson, or Pete Alonso, but I’m nitpicking once again. Harper is a superstar in name, attitude, and track record alike. It’s hard to deny he was an excellent choice.
Moving to the grass, team captain Aaron Judge leads the way in the outfield. He’s the best hitter on the planet, and the only person who can challenge Shohei Ohtani for the title of baseball’s best player.
When I first drafted this preview, Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong were the other projected starting outfielders. I noted that the only two outfielders who could make this team better would be Kyle Tucker and Byron Buxton.
Lo and behold, Buxton joined the squad, pushing All-Star and Gold Glove winner PCA to the bench. If this isn’t the best outfield any country could have put together, it’s darn close.
Last but certainly not least is Kyle Schwarber. The Phillies’ DH is a premier power hitter who certainly belongs at the heart of Team USA’s order. The only American, and indeed, the only MLB hitter, with more home runs over the past decade is Judge. Getting to see the two of them mash in the same lineup will be one of the most exciting things about watching Team USA.
Pitching Staff
In past years, many of the league’s best pitchers, and, in particular, the best American pitchers, declined to participate in the World Baseball Classic. This time, things are different.
The two reigning Cy Young Award winners, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, will lead Team USA’s rotation. Joining them will be 2025 All-Stars Logan Webb, Joe Ryan, and Matthew Boyd.
Starters Clay Holmes, Nolan McLean, and Michael Wacha have also committed to the squad, but they could end up pitching out of the bullpen in the WBC.
That shouldn’t be a problem for Holmes, who was a two-time All-Star as a closer before the Mets stretched him out. His teammate McLean is one of the most exciting young arms in the game, and Team USA is surely going to be cautious with him. At the end of the day, it’s just fun that he’s playing in the tournament at all.
Sure, the rotation would be even stronger with Garrett Crochet, Jacob deGrom, or Nathan Eovaldi, but we knew none of them were going to play. And considering most WBC teams only need four starting pitchers in the tournament, Team USA’s starting staff is an embarssment of riches as it is.
Turning to the bullpen, Garrett Whitlock, David Bednar, and Mason Miller were the top three American relievers by fWAR in 2025.
Bednar has a very solid track record of late-inning success over the past five years, Miller has some of the nastiest stuff in the sport, and Whitlock broke out as a phenomenal set-up man in 2025 after transitioning back to a full-time bullpen role.
Griffin Jax is another guy with tremendous stuff. With Jax, Miller, Bednar, and Whitlock, the Americans have almost all of the best late-inning arms they could ask for, other than maybe Josh Hader and Devin Williams.
On top of that, it’s not as if Garrett Cleavinger, Brad Keller, or Gabe Speier is any slouch. On the contrary, all three were electric in 2025. With the veteran Clayton Kershaw rounding out the ‘pen, DeRosa shouldn’t have any trouble finding guys to eat innings or dominate the late frames.
Coaching and Administrative Staff
| Role | Coach/Executive |
|---|---|
| General Manager | Michael Hill |
| Manager | Mark DeRosa |
| Pitching Coach | Andy Pettitte |
| Hitting Coach | Matt Holliday |
| Hitting Coach | Sean Casey |
| First Base Coach | George Lombard |
| Third Base Coach | Dino Ebel |
| Bullpen Coach | David Ross |
| Assistant Manager | Fredi González |
| Assistant Manager | Brian McCann |
| Assistant Manager | Michael Young |
Mark DeRosa is back as Team USA’s manager. The 16-year MLB veteran and current MLB Network analyst previously managed the Americans in the 2023 WBC. He also played in the tournament in 2009, leading Team USA with 9 RBI.
Making up DeRosa’s coaching staff are plenty of familiar names. Andy Pettitte is returning as pitching coach, while Matt Holliday and Sean Casey are taking over from Ken Griffey Jr. as co-hitting coaches. More returning coaches include Brian McCann, Michael Young, and Dino Ebel, while notable newcomers include David Ross, Fredi González, and George Lombard.
Skip Schumaker was originally announced as Team USA’s bench coach in April, but he is no longer listed among the coaches on the official website. Presumably, his duties as the new manager of the Texas Rangers will prevent him from participating in the WBC.
World Baseball Classic: Team USA Schedule
Exhibition Games
Team USA’s exhibition games will be played at Scottsdale Stadium and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Arizona.
| Date | Opponent | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| March 3 | @ San Francisco Giants | 7:05 pm MT / 9:05 pm ET |
| March 4 | vs. Colorado Rockies | 1:10 pm MT / 3:10 pm ET |
Pool Play
Team USA is part of Pool B, which will play its games from March 6 to 11 at Daikin Park in Houston. Joining the Americans in the pool are Team Mexico, Team Italy, Team Great Britain, and Team Brazil.
| Date | Opponent | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| March 6 | @ Brazil  | 7:00 pm CT / 8:00 pm ET |
| March 7 | vs. Great Britain  | 7:00 pm CT / 8:00 pm ET |
| March 9 | vs. Mexico  | 7:00 pm CT / 8:00 pm ET |
| March 10 | vs. Italy  | 8:00 pm CT / 9:00 pm ET |
Knockout Rounds
| Round | Date | Stadium | Start Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterfinal | Mar. 13 or 14, 2026 | Daikin Park, Houston | TBA |
| Semifinal | Mar. 15 or 16, 2026 | loanDepot Park, Miami | TBA |
| Final | Mar. 17, 2026 | loanDepot Park, Miami | TBA |
Written by
Leo Morgenstern is one of the managing editors for Just Baseball. He is also the managing editor at Jays Centre. His writing has appeared all over…