Yankees manager explains why Aaron Judge is best suited to be Team USA captain

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has been named captain of Team USA for the World Baseball Classic in 2026, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone believes that he is the best choice. Judge also became the first Team USA player to commit to playing in the 2026 event.

He has not yet made an appearance for Team USA in an international tournament and has now committed to playing for the team next year. Last time around, the slugger had just signed his contract extension with the Yankees and was named their first captain since Derek Jeter. Hence, he felt that he had to commit fully to the franchise.

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Yankees manager Aaron Boone reacted to the news at a press conference on Monday and said:

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"He's Aaron Judge," Boone said. "I mean, in a lot of ways, certainly, one of the faces of baseball. Such a magnetic personality that people gravitate to, that people around the game love and respect. I think he'll be great."

Last week, Team USA announced that Mike DeRosa would return for his second stint as manager after leading the team to a second-place finish in the 2023 WBC. Judge and his team will be hoping to avenge their loss to Team Japan in the final of the last edition of the tournament.

Mike Trout gives his response to Aaron Judge being named Team USA captain

In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout led team USA as the captain under manager Mike DeRosa. This time around, DeRosa has chosen Aaron Judge to captain the team for the 2026 edition. While announcing his decision, the manager revealed that he spoke about his decision to Trout first, who responded by saying:

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"He's the one."

Judge has since expressed his gratitude for being given this opportunity and honor. He also thanked Trout and DeRosa for their support as he prepares to make his debut with Team USA and aims to win the title along with his teammates.

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