Aaron Judge recalls watching from home while Mike Trout led Team USA onto the field in the most recent World Baseball Classic finals, proudly carrying a flagpole flying the stars and stripes across his right shoulder.

Aaron Judge will be the U.S. captain at next year’s World Baseball Classic, the same role the two-time American League Most Valuable Player fills with the New York Yankees. Mark DeRosa made the announcement after he was appointed U.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, the reigning American League Most Valuable Player Award winner, will serve as the captain of Team USA's roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, he announced Monday.