Aaron Judge is adding another captaincy to his résumé.
The reigning American League MVP will serve as Team USA captain in next year’s World Baseball Classic, he announced Monday.
Judge did not participate in the last WBC in 2023, since it was held during the first spring training after he signed his nine-year, $360 million contract to stay with the Yankees, when he was also named the team’s first captain since Derek Jeter.
“It wasn’t the best, sitting at home watching Team USA battle,” Judge said Monday on MLB Network of missing it last time. “I wanted to be there, it was kind of in the middle of free agency.”

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He’s since won another MVP and had no hesitation this time around, calling it “a special honor.”
“Getting a chance to represent this country… and have Team USA across my chest, it’s a great opportunity,’’ Judge said. “I never had this opportunity before, even growing up as a kid.”
Mike Trout served as Team USA captain in the previous WBC.