Yankees' Aaron Judge named Team USA captain for 2026 World Baseball Classic

Aaron Judge is adding another captaincy to his already illustrious resume, as it was announced on  Monday morning that Judge will be the captain of Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

USA manager Mark DeRosa made the announcement on MLB Network, with Judge joining MLB Central to share his thoughts.

“Just getting a chance to represent this country, what this country means to me,” Judge said. “…Now getting a chance to have USA across my chest and represent all the great people in our country, represent what this country means, it’s a great opportunity. I’ve never had this opportunity before, even as a kid, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

The most recent World Baseball Classic took place in March 2023, when USA lost to Japan in a memorable championship final.

Judge didn’t play in the 2023 WBC, as he was just coming off being a free agent and signing a new nine-year, $360 million contract with the Yankees.

But now the slugger is ready to proudly wear “USA” and lead what is sure to be a star-studded roster.

“It wasn’t the best sitting at home, kind of watching Team USA battle,” Judge said of the 2023 WBC. “I was kind of in the middle of free agency, but I was looking forward to this opportunity again to represent and be the captain, something that [Mike Trout] did the last time, is a pretty special honor.”

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is scheduled to take place March 5-17, 2026, with games taking place in the United State, Puerto Rico, and Japan.