It is no secret that New York Yankees All-Star Aaron Judge will receive a great deal of attention as Team USA looks to win the World Baseball Classic for the first time since 2017. The slugger is used to the spotlight, but it could be another MLB standout who will take home MVP.
Philadelphia Phillies staple Bryce Harper is no stranger to lofty expectations. From the moment he set foot on a major league diamond with the Washington Nationals in 2012, the Las Vegas native has faced intense scrutiny from both fans and pundits. While he has yet to win a World Series, Harper has shown an ability to meet the moment and spark his team. Further, he may be overlooked in a stacked lineup just long enough to snag the tournament’s MVP award.
Opposing pitchers will not attack Aaron Judge
Team USA boasts a superb lineup with several players who can hit for both power and contact. Judge may be the best among them, and his 2025 American League MVP campaign illustrated exactly why. Across 152 games last season, Judge smacked 53 home runs, collected 114 RBIs, hit .331, and posted a 1.144 OPS en route to reaffirming his status as arguably the sport’s most complete player.
Pitchers will not want to attack Judge. Further, they will likely choose to be careful with pure power hitters such as catcher Cal Raleigh, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, and catcher Will Smith. Any one of these individuals could change a game with one swing.
Harper could be placed in this category, but his age may be a factor. In other words, pitchers could be comfortable challenging an older Harper instead of dealing with bats who are either younger or hunting for home runs consistently.
“Just trying to get pitches in the zone, swing at strikes and take my walks when I can,” Harper told Todd Zolecki of MLB.com earlier in camp. “I think I’ve done a pretty good job at that the four games I’ve played.”
The 33-year-old will get pitches he can handle, and his history indicates that he’ll be able to shine.
Bryce Harper’s track record will help Team USA
Harper boasts a career .280 batting average and an .844 OPS. The two-time MVP’s reputation precedes him, but his postseason success is often forgotten, given that he has yet to win a title.
Over 57 playoff contests, Harper has hit 17 home runs, recorded 54 RBIs, hit .274, and earned a .986 OPS. WBC play might be different than a typical MLB postseason, but the pressure will undoubtedly be similar. He has competed with Team USA as an amateur when he was younger, and is somewhat familiar with international play.
“When I was younger, we won,” Harper said. “We were undefeated in both tournaments and had some really good teams and some really good pitching and good groups. If we can, like you said, go out there and do what we need to do, then [we have] the possibility to do the same thing.
“I know a lot of guys are looking forward to it. We’ve got a really good group of guys, really good group of pitchers and position players. Great stuff. Just really looking forward to it.”
This year’s WBC figures to be an intense tournament, and Harper could steal the show at a moment's notice due to the lineup’s strength and his experience. Team USA will begin its ascent on Friday when they face Team Brazil.
