Oct 24, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) during team workouts prior to game one of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Yankees' Aaron Judge Stands as Team USA's Greatest Hitter

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Feb 6, 2026 4:00 PM ET

Aaron Judge is not only the captain of the New York Yankees, but he is arguably the best player to ever suit up for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. The roster has seen some of the sport's greats since its inception in 2006, but few have worn the Team USA jersey that are on his level.

Since 2022, Judge has won the American League's Most Valuable Player Award in three of his last four years. In three of those years, he beat out historic seasons by Shohei Ohtani, Bobby Witt Jr., and Cal Raleigh. Nobody has pitched and hit to the level that Ohtani has, while Witt and Raleigh had some of the more prolific seasons by a shortstop and catcher in their respective MVP campaigns.

During this four-year run, Judge has hit .311/.439/.677 with 210 home runs and a 204 wRC+. His 37.3 WAR, according to Fangraphs, since his first MVP, is better than most major leaguers accumulate in their career.

FIRST LOOK: Aaron Judge rocks the Team USA uniform for the first time

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— MLB (@MLB) January 28, 2026

The Team USA Rushmore

If there is a Mount Rushmore of Team USA sluggers, Judge would be on it alongside Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., and, of course, Mike Trout. While these are all Hall of Fame-caliber hitters with gloves on par with their bats, one thing Judge can boast that this trio can't is a single season over a 200 wRC+, let alone an entire four-year run where they are 100% better than the rest of baseball.

The closest to do so was Trout in 2018. That season, he had a 188 wRC+ in 140 games.

Of course, the argument against putting Judge over Griffey, Rodriguez, and Trout is longevity. Judge did not break out until his age 25 season, while Griffey and Rodriguez broke into the league as teenagers.

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The Rest of the Roster

Team USA, in general, is stacked. It's not just Judge.

At the top of the rotation are Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Joe Ryan. Nolan McLean might not have the resume of his rotation-mates, but his stuff is every bit as nasty as theirs. Once the USA gets to the ninth inning, they'll have Mason Miller, the hardest thrower in the sport, along with David Bednar, who took over as closer for the Yankees and added stability to a shaky bullpen.

Surrounding Judge in the lineup is also a who's-who of All-Stars and MVPs. With him are Cal Raleigh, Alex Bregman, Bryce Harper, Gunner Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr., and Corbin Carroll.

With such an incredible roster, if Team USA fails to win this year, it would be a monumental failure. It's the most stacked team the United States has seen, and potentially the best in WBC history.

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