Boston Red Sox right fielder Roman Anthony. Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Team USA adds youth to WBC lineup as injury replacement

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 1:26 PM ET

With the World Baseball Classic less than a month away, Team USA was already forced to make a change to its roster.

On Monday, the United States announced that Roman Anthony would be added to the team to replace the injured Corbin Carroll, who is out with a right hamate bone fracture.

The lineup change results in a loss of Carroll's pop - he hit 31 home runs for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025, but creates an opportunity for a younger player to gain some big game experience.

Playing in the WBC provides Anthony a big opportunity early in his career

Anthony, 21, who is preparing for his second season with the Boston Red Sox, registered a 3.1 bWAR rookie season in MLB. He posted a .292 batting average with eight home runs, 48 runs scored and 32 RBI.

Roman Anthony will rock the red, white and blue for the #WorldBaseballClassic

Anthony replaces Corbin Carroll on the Team USA roster. pic.twitter.com/m9TOIAffJL
— MLB (@MLB) February 16, 2026

Anthony also registered a .396 OBP, a .463 slugging percentage and an .859 OPS.

He was Boston's second round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft.

"Amazing," Anthony told MLB.com about the chance to represent his country on the world's stage.

"It was one of those opportunities that you dream of as a kid. Obviously it’s super unfortunate what happened [to Carroll], and hoping for the best for him with a speedy recovery, but it was exciting on my end to be able to just get that call."

Anthony watched Team USA finish as the runner-up in 2023

This year's tournament won't be Anthony's first at the World Baseball Classic. He attended the championship game - Team USA lost to Japan - with fellow minor leaguers in 2023.

“Watching it as a fan was unbelievable,” Anthony said.

“We had a feeling that it would kind of line up with Team USA being in the finals, so we were like, ‘You know what? We're just gonna get a ticket to the finals game. It's an easy enough drive over [from Fort Myers] where we have time to get over there and get back.’ We bought the tickets probably a week or two prior, and it worked out.”

Now, Anthony will get the opportunity to be a participant.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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