The 2026 iteration of Team USA at the World Baseball Classic will likely have more MLB stars than ever before. Here’s the best roster the United States could have if everyone played.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic was a largely successful event for many reasons, but one of the biggest was more MLB stars participating than ever before.
This was very apparent on Team USA. Although manager Mark DeRosa’s squad fell short of the championship, losing 3-2 to Japan in a thrilling final game, more stars participated for the Red, White and Blue than ever before.
There are signs that participation among the game’s best U.S. players will be even higher for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. It started with the best hitter in baseball, Aaron Judge, announcing he would make his WBC debut as team captain for next year’s tournament. Bobby Witt just announced he will return to Team USA as well. He’s turned into one of the game’s biggest stars and will have a larger role than he did in 2023.
The bigger surprise was Paul Skenes announcing he would participate as well. Team USA hasn’t been able to get its top starting pitchers to play in the past for obvious reasons (pitchers get hurt all the time, and ramping up earlier in the year could be considered even more of an injury risk).
But if more of the top pitchers follow Skenes’ example and play for Team USA, the roster could be significantly better than even the star-studded 2023 squad. DeRosa, returning as manager, would have a lot of difficult decisions to make if all of the best eligible players were willing to play.
Assuming the roster rules are the same in 2026 as they were in 2023, Team USA will have to select 30 players, with at least 14 pitchers and two catchers. Last time, the U.S. team opted to go with 15 pitchers and three catchers to keep both positions fresh.
With that in mind, here’s the idealized roster for Team USA in 2026, broken down by position:
Catchers
Selections: Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Adley Rutschman Also Considered: J.T. Realmuto, Austin Wells, Shea Langeliers, Logan O’Hoppe, Drake BaldwinRaleigh is an easy selection based on his monster season. Ditto for Smith, who was also a member of the 2023 team, which will likely be given some weight.
Rutschman has slumped offensively for a while now, both to end 2024 and start the ’25 campaign. But there’s still time for him to figure it out, and having a switch hitter with his talent in the third catcher’s role would be tantalizing. If he continues to be in a funk, Realmuto could be back after being a key member in 2023.
First Basemen
Selections: Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso Also Considered: Matt Olson, Paul Goldschmidt, Spencer Torkelson, Michael BuschFreddie Freeman played for Team Canada in 2023, so he’ll be left off the roster for this exercise for now. But if he decides to join Team USA, he’d obviously be welcome.
Harper was supposed to be the headliner in 2023 before injury knocked him out of the tournament. He’ll likely get a chance to play for Team USA this time around if he wants.
Alonso was on that team and is having an incredible offensive season, making him an easy second choice if Freeman isn’t available. Free agency could complicate things for Alonso, as he can opt out of his contract with the New York Mets after this season. If he does, it could be difficult for him to commit to the team while navigating free agency. Matt Olson is an obvious choice if either Harper or Alonso can’t go.
Second Basemen
Selection: Mookie Betts Also Considered: Brendan Donovan, Brice Turang, Bryson Stott, Nico HoernerBetts is playing shortstop this year, where the U.S. crop of choices is significantly better than the second basemen. Team USA didn’t opt for any true second basemen last tournament and could do the same again.
Shortstops
Selections: Bobby Witt Jr., Trea Turner Also Considered: Gunnar Henderson, Jacob Wilson, CJ Abrams, Dansby SwansonHenderson is one of the toughest cuts on the roster and he could play well enough to earn a spot over the coming months.
He’s still a very good hitter, but his OPS is down from .893 in 2024 to .769 in 2025. He faces stiff competition from three players who were on the 2023 team and are still good players.
Henderson’s MLB numbers probably warrant a pick over Turner, but Turner was the hero of the tournament for the United States in 2023 and would be very difficult to leave off the roster. Witt Jr. was the AL MVP runner-up in 2024 and is in line for a bigger role than pinch runner in the 2026 WBC.
Third Basemen
Selections: Alex Bregman, Austin Riley Also Considered: Matt Chapman, Nolan Arenado, Ernie Clement, Josh JungIf Bregman is willing to play for Team USA, he’d be an easy pick. It should be noted he has a contract opt-out with the Boston Red Sox.
Arenado has been a good member of Team USA in the past, but he’s been a middling hitter for a second straight season in 2025. He could still factor in, but Chapman and Riley’s production should put them ahead of him in the pecking order.
Outfielders
Selections: Aaron Judge, Corbin Carroll, Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong Also Considered: James Wood, Jackson Merrill, Byron Buxton, Steven Kwan, Mike TroutOutfield is the deepest spot of position players for the United States, leaving some tough decisions.
With Betts’ ability to play outfield as well, it would be OK to select three lefties to support Judge. Carroll has been one of the best young players in baseball since his call-up in 2022 and had leveled up offensively this season before suffering a broken wrist. He’s played right field exclusively this season, but could easily be the center fielder when needed.
Tucker was a 2023 team member who had a nice tournament and is having another productive 2025. Free agency could complicate his willingness to play as well.
If Judge, Carroll and Tucker were all to play, there would likely be one roster spot for Crow-Armstrong or Wood. Wood is one of the best young hitters in baseball, but Crow-Armstrong is one of the best defensive players and top base runners. That gives him an edge as a bench player in big games.
Trout deserves a courtesy mention as the captain of the 2023 team, but he’s suffered a significant injury this year, and his numbers were down already. If he’s selected, it’ll be more about leadership and loyalty than production considering his competition in the outfield.
Designated Hitters
Selection: Kyle Schwarber Also Considered: Ben RiceIt would be easy to dismiss carrying a DH, and adding one of the other very talented players who came close to making the cut (probably James Wood).
But Schwarber was a main character on the 2023 team (he homered off Yu Darvish in the championship game) and is regarded as an excellent clubhouse presence. He’s also having the best offensive season of his career. It would be hard to leave him off the roster unless he has a major downturn in the next couple months.
Starting Pitchers
Selections: Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Logan Webb, Zack Wheeler, Garrett Crochet, Mackenzie Gore, Max Fried Also Considered: Hunter Brown, Hunter Greene, Chris Sale, Bryan Woo, Michael King, Clay Holmes, George Kirby, Joe RyanMaybe it’s good that several pitchers won’t commit to the WBC because picking who goes among the starters is incredibly difficult.
Skenes and Skubal don’t need justifying. Nor should Webb, who is having his best season and can win without blowing hitters away. Wheeler has consistently been one of the best pitchers in the National League, is incredibly reliable, and his ERA is under 3.00 again. Fried has leveled up in his first year with the New York Yankees.
That leaves Crochet and Gore competing with Greene (among others) for the last two spots. All of these young pitchers are still ascending. Both Crochet and Greene have had injury issues, but Greene has already missed time this year, making him the last cut. If he stays healthy and keeps pitching the way he has this year, he could easily pass someone and make the team.
Relief Pitchers
Selections: Tanner Scott, Josh Hader, Luke Weaver, David Bednar, Jake Bird, Tommy Kahnle, Danny Coulombe, Will Vest Also Considered: Lucas Erceg, Eric Orze, Chris Martin, Kyle Finnegan, Matt Strahm, Hunter GaddisThis is the most volatile list and could look a lot different in a month. But this is a nice blend of relievers with track records and top performance this season.
Scott and Hader are nasty lefties with closing experience. Scott’s had some bad moments this year but still sports a solid ERA and a FIP under 3.00. While Devin Williams has struggled, Weaver has provided the Yankees with stability at the back end of their bullpen. He did have a hamstring injury that cost him some games and is worth monitoring.
Coulombe adds another lefty who is having an unreal season, Bednar has righted the ship and looks like a dominant closer again and Kahnle gives the team a different look from the right side. Vest has been an unheralded but key part of the Tigers’ rise and Bird has thrived even while pitching home games at Coors.
Final Roster
Position Players: Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Adley Rutschman, Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso, Mookie Betts, Bobby Witt Jr., Trea Turner, Alex Bregman, Austin Riley, Aaron Judge, Corbin Carroll, Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Schwarber Pitchers: Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Logan Webb, Zack Wheeler, Garrett Crochet, Mackenzie Gore, Max Fried, Tanner Scott, Josh Hader, Luke Weaver, David Bednar, Jake Bird, Tommy Kahnle, Danny Coulombe, and Will VestThis is a flexible roster with elite talent in every spot. There are no guarantees in a short tournament, but this would easily be the best Team USA ever. If the final roster comes close to resembling this team, it should compete for the gold once again.
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