Rangers young star must be considered for final spot on Team USA WBC roster

Team USA is already stacked for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, with outfielder Aaron Judge, first baseman Bryce Harper, righty Paul Skenes, lefty Tarik Skubal, catcher Cal Raleigh and more confirmed to be on the squad.

According to Shawn Spradling, Team USA still has three open roster spots: one outfielder, one catcher and one pitcher. Star Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford deserves to be considered for the vacant outfield spot.

Rangers young star Wyatt Langford must be considered for final outfield spot on Team USA WBC roster

Per fWAR, the only American outfielders who were worth more fWAR than Langford (4.1 fWAR) last season and haven't been confirmed to be on Team USA's roster are George Springer (5.2 fWAR), Cody Bellinger (4.9 fWAR) and Kyle Tucker (4.5 fWAR).

Springer can also play for Team Puerto Rico, but he declined an invitation from Carlos Beltrán to do so, according to Elnuevodia writer Antolín Maldonado Ríos. Therefore, he most likely won't be playing for Team USA, either, especially since he left Game 3 of the World Series with an oblique injury, missing Games 4 and 5 as well.

On Thursday, Tucker signed a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He could be interested in filling the final outfield spot for Team USA. However, the Dodgers may want him to sit the tournament out, especially since he suffered a right-hand fracture in June and a left calf strain in September.

There is a better chance that Bellinger fills the final outfield spot over Tucker and Springer. However, he is still a free agent. Whoever signs him may not mind if he plays in the World Baseball Classic, but it's possible they would. If he is invited, Bellinger is unlikely to commit to playing for Team USA until he signs his next contract, which could take a while. Team USA may want to secure the final outfield spot sooner rather than later, likely leaving Langford as their best option.

In 134 games last season, Langford posted 5.6 bWAR and a .241/.344/.431 (127 OPS+) slash line with 22 home runs, 25 doubles, 22 stolen bases and 62 RBI. He played spectacular defense in 2025 as well, posting 10 Outs Above Average, which ranked in the 96th percentile.

If Springer, Bellinger and Tucker don't want to play for Team USA, Mike Trout is likely Langford's biggest competition for the final outfield spot. While Trout has regressed over the past few years, primarily due to injuries, he is a legend who almost everyone wants to see on the biggest stage. Still, Langford is a better player right now, meaning the Rangers outfielder deserves the final outfield spot over the future Hall-of-Famer.