Mark DeRosa spills the backstory on making Aaron Judge team USA’s WBC captain

Modified Apr 17, 2025 16:35 GMT

MLB: Kansas City Royals at New York Yankees - Source: Imagn — Mark DeRosa spills the backstory on making Aaron Judge team USA’s WBC captain (image credit: IMAGN)

It's official: Aaron Judge is going to be the captain and arguably the best player for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which Mark DeRosa made a high priority.

Judge has never played for Team USA before. He was a rookie and relatively unknown in 2017, and he skipped the 2023 tournament as he came off of free agency and didn't have a team when the rosters were being constructed.

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"I knew obviously I wanted Aaron to be the captain if I was named manager," DeRosa said to reporters on Tuesday. I thought that was the right thing to do. He was certainly my first call. Andy Pettitte, who is a friend for life now being the pitching coach, I knew he was down at Spring Training with Aaron, so I kinda put a little bug in his ear."

After contemplating whether or not Judge was interested in making his debut next year, DeRosa called him immediately.

"I called him that night and was like, 'You need to be the captain,'" DeRosa said. "There's been a couple other guys I've called so far. I have definitely let it breathe, I wanted Aaron to kind of stand alone when I named him the captain and kind of let that breathe. I've made a bunch of phone calls so far. I want to lock down what I believe is the core and will create a buzz for more guys to want to do it."

With Judge, a two-time MVP and the captain of the New York Yankees, on board, the Team USA manager believes he can attract other superstars who might've sat out.

Aaron Judge thrilled to get Team USA captaincy

Aaron Judge, although not directly in sequence, was named the captain of the New York Yankees after Derek Jeter. He's now going to have that same role for an entire country.

"Just getting a chance to represent this country, what this country means to me," Judege said on Tuesday, via ESPN. "Honestly, every game, during the national anthem (and) 'God Bless America,' getting a chance to sit out there, for me it's a time to reflect about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country and given me the opportunity to step on a baseball field and play a game that I love."

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be held before the 2026 MLB regular season.

About the author

Zachary is a journalist covering NFL, Professional Golf, esports, and Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda. He has a degree in writing/editing from Southern Adventist University (USA), and in his spare time, he likes to play games such as Minecraft, Pokémon and Fortnite, or watch sports.

Ever since he was a youth football wide receiver, Zachary has been an avid NFL fan. He loves the Carolina Panthers, with Cam Newton being his all-time favorite player (with respect to the close second, Steve Smith). If you ever meet Zachary, prepare to hear all about how underrated Newton was and how he single-handedly dragged the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.

Zachary is also a big fan of top golfers like Tiger Woods, Wyndham Clark, and Scottie Scheffler. He enjoys watching them and hopes that Woods can return to form soon and win again.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez