Every Yankees player in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (and ones we're most worried about)

Spring training will have a different look and feel in 2026 as many of the game's biggest stars will leave their teams for two weeks in March to represent their countries in the World Baseball Classic. This time around, the New York Yankees will have plenty of representatives.

The WBC is always a bittersweet time for fans. On the one hand, the tournament is filled with drama, and the players take it very seriously. On the other hand, it can result in devastating injuries like the torn patellar tendon Edwin Diaz suffered in the 2023 affair, which caused him to miss the entire season.

Rather than enjoying the slow build of a normal spring, these stars will be putting the pedal to the metal in the quest for greatness and honor for their country. While that does give some younger and lesser-known players an extended look in camp, it can cause issues even beyond a direct injury.

These 12 Yankees are participating in the 2026 World Baseball Classic

In total, a dozen Yankees will be leaving Tampa to compete in the games that begin on March 5, and most of the cast is pretty star-studded. In some cases, there are players who represent smaller, less baseball-obsessed countries, which in turn can give them a greater opportunity to impress against top-tier talent than staying in camp would have.

By-and-large, this is a spectacle that will have the organization and many fans holding their breath, despite what are sure to be deliciously compelling contests. Here's the full list of the 12 players breaking away to compete:

For young hurlers like Elmer Rodriguez, Brendan Beck, and Harrison Cohen, this could actually be seen as a positive. By the time the WBC rolls around, young players like this trio are typically on the chopping block to be sent down to minor league camp. Instead, they'll have the opportunity to work through some pressure packed situations against elite talent. This is valuable experience. But for the veterans, it's tough to make that same case. Here's who fans can't help but be worried about when the game action begins.

Elmer Rodriguez

The concern meter for Rodriguez is lower than most, but while this experience is valuable for him, an injury could cause waves down the line. Rodriguez started the spring training opener and put together a head-turning performance with three shutout innings where he efficiently used only 42 pitches (30 strikes). The Yankees' top prospect could be in line for a big league promotion this season, and with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole on the mend for the season's first couple of months, he also represents valuable depth. An injury to the youngster now matters more than if the rotation were at full strength.

Austin Wells

Austin Wells will be suiting up for the Dominican Republic, which is possible through his mother, who has Dominican heritage. For the Yankees, having their starting backstop compete in the contest is a bit of a risky proposition.

New York failed to add a right-handed-hitting complement to Wells behind the plate, so an injury to the 26-year-old during the contest would thrust J.C. Escarra into a larger role while also putting more pressure on Ben Rice to log time at catcher. 2026 is something of a make-or-break year for Wells, who might not be that far away from reaching his full potential even after two lackluster big league seasons.

The bullpen trio of David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Fernando Cruz

We're going to lump these three together because, as things currently stand, this trio makes up the high-leverage wing of the Yankees' bullpen. After not adding any impact relievers this winter, the club will be counting on having David Bednar and Camilo Doval for a full season after their deadline acquisitions last year as the necessary boost the unit needs. Furthermore, they'll be looking for more consistency from Doval and Fernando Cruz.

The plus side here is that this will open up more time for less proven options like Cade Winquest, Angel Chivilli, and Brent Headrick to get work in this spring, but with so much uncertainty already existing in the bullpen, any one of the three participants suffering an injury (or getting fatigued) could be catastrophic.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

A player with Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s talent and importance to the lineup playing in the WBC is always a little nerve-wracking, but when said player has such a lengthy history of suffering bumps and bruises like Jazz, the concern ratchets up a few more notches. And the fact he's playing for Great Britain just further adds to that.

Chisholm Jr. missed time with an oblique injury last season. His shoulder barked when he was asked to play third base again, which ultimately ended that experiment. That limited him to just 130 games, which is still the second-highest mark of his career. Jazz has some lofty goals, including a 50-50 season, in mind for 2026, but he'll need to stay healthy to achieve them.

Aaron Judge

Duh. Still, let's take a look at this a little more in-depth. Not only will Aaron Judge be participating in this year's tournament, but the Yankees captain is also taking up the mantle of Team USA captain after having the title passed onto him by Mike Trout. That will put even more pressure on his enormous shoulders.

The Yankees have weathered Judge injury storms before, but it can sometimes be weirdly overlooked just how important he is to the Yankees. New York had the best offense in baseball last season. It's one of the prime reasons why most have convinced themselves that running it back this winter was enough. However, the main reason that was true was due to how much the three-time MVP carries the offense on his back.

Judge isn't just the best hitter in baseball today. He's one of the best of all time. The Judge we're watching today is literally Babe Ruth reincarnated. The Yankees have enough talent that they can tread water for a few weeks should he get hurt, but anything longer than that and you can flush the season down the toilet. No player holds his team's fortunes in his hands more than Judge does for the Yankees, so while it will be exhilarating to watch him compete for the Red, White, and Blue, we'll be watching with bated breath.