3 Mariners players who should join Aaron Judge to lead Team USA to WBC title

Next year will bring about the sixth installment of the World Baseball Classic, a tournament designed for players across the sport to represent their countries on the diamond. After a hiatus due to COVID-19, the 2023 iteration brought the event back into vogue, and Team USA assembled a team of superstars to defend their 2017 title.

With the next tournament right around the corner and a painful 3-2 loss to Team Japan to avenge, the US team has already begun to put together its 2026 roster, starting by announcing Aaron Judge as the team captain. The Mariners failed to send a single member last time, but there are definitely some names on the roster that could lend a significant hand.

3 current Mariners should join Aaron Judge on Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Logan Gilbert

In 2023, Team USA undoubtedly had the best lineup. It was so good that players like Will Smith and Bobby Witt Jr. were left to ride the bench. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about the pitching staff, as many of the nation's top arms refused to participate due to injury risk. While Mookie Betts and Mike Trout were leading off, Merrill Kelly and Lance Lynn were forced to pitch in pivotal elimination games.

If injuries are a concern, why not pick up one of the most durable starting pitchers around?

From 2022-2024, Logan Gilbert accumulated 585 innings pitched to a 3.38 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He doesn't seem to be slowing down in 2025, so it's reasonable to expect that he'll still be one of the best starting pitchers in baseball by next year. If added to the rotation, there's a good chance he's chosen to be the ace of the squad, and why wouldn't Team USA want a starter with an elite fastball and two unhittable secondary pitches?

George Kirby

Another great solution to the pitching problem would be George Kirby, who has had similar results to Gilbert as a workhorse in Seattle's rotation. He pitched more than 190 innings in both 2023 and 2024 and has a career ERA of just 3.43 with a 1.09 WHIP.

If there is a single word to describe Kirby, it would be consistent. His incredible command hasn't just allowed him to paint corners with his sinker, it has allowed him to lead all of MLB in BB/9 and K/BB for the past two years in a row.

He is yet to pitch this year as he has been sidelined by injury, but is on the road to recovery and should return to action sooner rather than later. When he does finally take the mound for the first time in 2025, it's likely he'll pick up right where he left off.

Cal Raleigh

If there's one position in the lineup where Team USA might need help, it's catcher. J.T. Realmuto did a respectable job in 2023, but he's clearly slowing down and probably shouldn't be the team's first choice.

Instead, why not pick one of the most well-rounded backstops in the sport? With an OPS+ of 120 from 2022-2025 and a recent Platinum Glove win, one would be hard-pressed to find a better option than Cal Raleigh for Team USA behind the dish.

Furthermore, few things would be more exciting than seeing a Mariners battery lead Team USA to their second World Baseball Classic title. Raleigh has already demonstrated an outstanding ability to get the best out of his pitchers when it comes to framing and calling games, so it wouldn't be surprising if he found similar synergies with the other arms on the team. He's also not too shabby at the plate and has continued to be one of the more important offensive contributors for the Mariners.