Yankees Add Another Player to Team USA

The New York Yankees added another player to Team USA's 30-man roster.

Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (33) throws a simulated game before game three of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

34-year old New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Yarbrough is set to join Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

The lefty will be replacing Minnesota Twins' Joe Ryan who has been dealing with a back injury.

Yankees fans are well aware outfielder Aaron Judge is the captain as Team USA looks to win the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Yarbrough is fresh off a 2025 campaign where he was on the Yankees for the first time in his eight-year career. He appeared in 19 games, starting eight of them.

Yankees' Ryan Yarbrough Joins Team USA

Ryan Yarbrough of the Yankees is joining Team USA’s 30-man roster to replace Minnesota’s Joe Ryan (back) for the WBC. Ryan goes to the designated pitcher pool, which means he is eligible after each round.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 1, 2026

MLB Network Insider Joel Sherman broke the news that Yarbrough would be replacing Ryan. There is a catch though as the Twins Ace is in the designated pitcher pool meaning he is eligible after each round. That's not to say Yarbrough will be replaced immediately, but it is a possibility he isn't on the 30-man roster for long.

Yarbrough went 3-1 a year ago with a 4.36 ERA in 64.0 innings. His 2.9 K/BB ratio was up from a down 2024 where he spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays.

Even though he started eight games last year, he still ended up with a save on his record. That marked the fourth of his career, all of which coming in the last three seasons. Throughout his lengthy career, Yarbrough has appeared in 215 games and has made 76 starts.

Yankees Team USA Representation

Feb 24, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) looks on against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Other than Judge the Yankees are represented by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and pitcher David Bednar. The team now has two pitchers and two hitters who will be part of the original 30-man roster with the World Baseball Classic being right around the corner.

Team USA's quest for a Championship must run through some of their fellow teammates as well. In total, there are a dozen Yankees who will be playing in the WBC representing their respective countries throughout pool play and potentially beyond.

Yankees fans will have a chance to see their favorites play in not only more meaningful games, but play much longer than they would in usual Spring Training games. At the end of the day, Yarbrough is one of 12 who were selected to play in the WBC which coincidentally happened to be roughly around a week after the Olympics ended. All-in-all, Yankees have players on Team USA, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Great Britain, Panama, and Israel.

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