With the sixth World Baseball Classic set to begin on March 5, some Yankees players have already left spring training to prepare for the 12-day tournament.
Here are the 10 players from the New York Yankees 40-man roster who are set to appear in the WBC and the roles they may fill for their countries.
Aaron Judge
Judge will captain Team USA, taking over for Mike Trout. Judge is off to a hot start this spring, hitting two home runs in his first contest of exhibition play.
Leading a power-packed lineup featuring four top four MVP finalists from 2026, Judge will sit in the heart of a U.S. order surrounded by Kyle Schwarber, Bobby Witt Jr. and Cal Raleigh.
David Bednar
Bednar returns for his second WBC. The right hander will pair up with San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller out of the back of the bullpen to form an elite one-two punch.
Bednar was traded to the Yankees last season on deadline day from the Pittsburg Pirates and 10 of 13 in save opportunities with a 2.19 ERA after the move.
Paul Goldschmidt
Goldschmidt is an elder stateman of the USA roster, serving as the oldest member of the team and one of only two remaining players from the 2017 WBC title team, alongside Alex Bregman. In fact, 21 players from that 2017 squad have since retired from professional baseball.
Once an MVP-level player, Goldschmidt is in the twilight of his career and will serve as a platoon option to face southpaws and as veteran leadership in the clubhouse. The right-handed hitter posted a .981 OPS against lefties with New York in 2025.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Chisholm, who recently told Yankees media that he believes he has 50-50 potential, will serve as co-captain of Team Great Britain alongside Washington Nationals catching prospect Harry Ford.
Chisholm is one of four Bahamians suiting up for GB. The second baseman carries the most major league pedigree of any player on the roster and will be a linchpin in a lineup looking to advance past pool play for the first time ever.
It is the first time the 28-year-old has suited up for GB since the 2016 World Baseball Classic qualifiers, when he was just 18 years old.
Chisholm will be joined by major league field coordinator and director of catching Tanner Swanson, who will serve as bench coach, and minor league pitcher Brendan Beck.
Camilo Doval
Doval will suit up for the Dominican Republic for his second WBC. In the 2023 WBC, his first tournament appearance, the power pitcher threw two and a third innings of shutout baseball.
The right-hander will battle new Chicago White Sox set-up man Seranthony Domínguez and Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estévez for late inning opportunities.
Amed Rosario
Joining Doval on the DR squad, Rosario will largely be blocked for playing time by a combination of Junior Caminero, Ketel Marte and Manny Machado at second and third base. While Rosario will likely spend most of the tournament watching from the bench, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Rosario make an appearance in pool play.
The clearest path to playing time may be in the corner outfield. Julio Rodríguez has never appeared away from center field in the majors, and Oneil Cruz hasn’t played in the corner outfield since a single game in 2022. Both are likely only options up the middle. Rosario is a better hitter than defensive specialist Johan Rojas and could spell former Yankee Juan Soto or Fernando Tatis Jr. against a tough righty should one need a day off.
Austin Wells
Wells rounds out the Yankee representation on the DR roster and will battle with a former Yankee prospect for playing time.
Agustín Ramírez was traded to the Miami Marlins in the deal that brought Chisholm to New York. Though Ramírez hit 21 home runs in his rookie season, Wells is a far better defender and could draw the bulk of the work as the tournament progresses.
Though he was born in Scottsdale, Ariz., Wells is eligible to play for the DR as both of his maternal grandparents were born there.
Fernando Cruz
Cruz will serve as the set-up man for three-time National League Reliever of the Year Edwin Díaz on Team Puerto Rico. It will be his second WBC, as he made three appearances and one start for Puerto Rico in the 2023 tournament.
The 35-year-old has already made three scoreless appearances this spring, punching out three.
Elmer Rodriguez
The most notable Yankees prospect slated to appear in the tournament, Rodriguez will join Cruz on a Puerto Rico pitching staff that lacks established major league starting experience beyond Royals starter Seth Lugo. Rodriguez stands as the highest upside option of the group, throwing three scoreless innings in the Yankees’ spring opener against the Baltimore Orioles to start his season.
The 22-year-old right hander was traded to New York prior to the 2025 season and spent his first season in the organization across three levels, working to a 2.58 over 150 innings and earning a spot on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospect list at No. 82.
José Caballero
Caballero is one of the higher profile members of Team Panama and will likely get first cracks at the starting shortstop position, one that he will also fill on Opening Day for the Yankees.
Caballero is another player participating in his second career tournament. The utilityman slashed .231/.333/.308 across 15 plate appearances in pool play 2023.
Brad Ausmus
The current bench coach for the Yankees, Ausmus will manage Team Israel after coaching on the team in 2023 under Ian Kinsler. The two-time big-league manager will be joined by Yankees pitching prospect Harrison Cohen.
Ausmus is a member of National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Note: Ryan Yarbrough was added to the Team USA roster to replace the injured Joe Ryan after this article was written.