Team USA is returning to the World Baseball Classic this year with an absolutely stacked roster after falling short to Japan in 2023.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani stole the show for Japan in one of the most dramatic finishes in tournament history in 2023, striking out former teammate Mike Trout to win it all and be named WBC MVP.
Team USA is the favorite to win the WBC with its star-studded roster and elite pitching rotation, and will look to avenge the team’s 2023 loss this year. MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan predicts that Kansas City Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. will lead the squad and take home the MVP award for the tournament.
“An American MVP aligns perfectly with our staff’s Team USA championship pick,” Harrigan wrote Wednesday. “Witt over Judge is a surprise, but hardly a stretch given the shortstop’s emergence as one of baseball’s brightest stars.
“Witt was part of Team USA’s roster at the 2023 WBC, but with only one MLB season under his belt at the time, he sat behind some of his more experienced teammates and tallied only two at-bats in the tournament. It’s a different story this time around, with Witt positioned as an integral part of Team USA’s lineup.”
Witt has established himself as one of the best young players in baseball, nearly winning the American League MVP award in each of the past two seasons. The 25-year-old is a two-time All-Star, Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner who led the American League in hits and doubles last season.
Despite Team USA boasting one of the most stacked rosters in the tournament, it would not be surprising to see Witt stand above the rest and lead Team USA to victory. Team USA will open up the WBC against Brazil on Friday.
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