Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw Headline Team USA Roster for 2023 World Baseball Classic

Erin WalshFeb 9, 2023

Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout and Los Angeles Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw headline the Team USA roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic this winter.

The fifth edition of the World Baseball Classic runs from March 8 through March 21. This year's tournament was expanded from 16 teams to 20 teams and will take place in Miami, Phoenix, Tokyo and Taichung, Taiwan.

Team USA is in Pool C for this year's tournament alongside Canada, Colombia and Mexico. They kick off pool play on March 11 at Chase Field, home of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Part of the quarterfinals and all of the semifinals and finals will all take place at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.

Team USA is being managed by Mark DeRosa. Ken Griffey Jr., Andy Pettitte, Jerry Manuel, Lou Collier, Dino Ebel and Dave Righetti round out the assistants on his staff.

Here's a deeper look at the full Team USA roster, which was announced Thursday.

2023 Team USA WBC Roster

C, J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies
C, Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
C, Kyle Higashioka, New York Yankees
1B, Pete Alonso, New York Mets
1B, Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
2B, Jeff McNeil, New York Mets
3B, Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
3B, Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
SS, Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox
SS, Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies
OF, Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
OF, Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles
OF, Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
OF, Kyle Tucker, Houston Astros
OF, Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
RP, Jason Adam, Tampa Bay Rays
RP, Daniel Bard, Colorado Rockies
RP, David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates
RP, Devin Williams, Milwaukee Brewers
RP, Adam Ottavino, New York Mets
RP, Kendall Graveman, Chicago White Sox
RP, Nick Martinez, San Diego Padres
RP, Ryan Pressly, Houston Astros
RP, Brooks Raley, Tampa Bay Rays
SP, Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
SP, Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
SP, Nestor Cortes, New York Yankees
SP, Brady Singer, Kansas City Royals
SP, Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
SP, Lance Lynn, Chicago White Sox
SP, Miles Mikolas, St. Louis Cardinals

Trout, a three-time American League MVP, will serve as captain for Team USA and is competing in the World Baseball Classic for the first time.

The 31-year-old considered playing for the U.S. in the 2017 WBC but decided against it. He admitted in a January conference call that he wished he had played in the event after seeing the Americans go on to win the title.

"It looked like they were having so much fun, making the plays and winning," Trout said, per John Perrotto of Forbes. "That's what I regretted. I should have been out there."

Trout is coming off a solid 2022 season with the Angels that saw him finish eighth in AL MVP voting. He slashed .283/.369/.630 with 40 home runs and 80 RBI in 119 games.

The New Jersey native will be looking to replicate that success during the 2023 season, and participating in the World Baseball Classic will help him get up to speed heading into spring training.

On the pitching side, Kershaw will also be making his first appearance for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic.

The three-time Cy Young winner is coming off an All-Star 2022 campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went 12-3 with a 2.28 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 126.1 innings across 22 starts.

Kershaw will be the highlight of a rotation that includes Nestor Cortes and Adam Wainwright.