There’s no sugarcoating it. Corbin Carroll’s hamate bone injury is a brutal loss for Team USA in next month’s highly anticipated World Baseball Classic. The Diamondbacks’ star outfielder broke his right hamate bone during batting practice at the outset of spring training on Tuesday. Carroll underwent surgery for the hand fracture on Wednesday, and he’s expected to be sidelined for several weeks, which sent Team USA scrambling for a replacement. Filling Carroll’s shoes won’t be easy. The 25-year-old is coming off his first-career 30/30 season. Carroll recorded a 140 OPS+ and won the Silver Slugger award last year. Team USA, strutting into the WBC with the best all-around roster in the tournament, suddenly needs to find another outfielder to suit up alongside Aaron Judge, Byron Buxton and Pete Crow-Armstrong. As difficult as it will be to replace Carroll, who has been among the top position players in baseball since he debuted in 2022, if there’s any team that can pivot quickly to an exciting name, it’s the USA. Let’s dig into possible outfield replacements Team USA could try to recruit: Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers Though Tucker might immediately seem like a no-brainer, particularly because he participated in the 2023 WBC for Team USA, there are some concerns worth flagging. Tucker played through a right-hand injury last season, and even though the newest Dodgers star is expected to be fully healthy to begin the year, playing in the WBC might not be worth the risk. The Dodgers also might prefer the outfielder to stick around at spring training and familiarize himself with his new team. Still, Tucker is the most obvious backup to fill in at the last minute. Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres Merrill, entering his third season in the big leagues, is another logical replacement for Carroll. Though the 22-year-old only played in 115 games last season due to injuries, he still hit 16 home runs, collected 67 RBI and posted an OPS+ of 112. By any measure, that’s solid production for a center fielder in his sophomore season, even if it fell short of his incredible rookie campaign. Merrill is an obvious bounce back candidate for 2026 — and he can warm up by bringing his talents to the international stage. Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees After inking his new five-year contract with the Yankees, Bellinger said he preferred to stay with his team in a full spring-training regimen rather than compete in the WBC. But that could change now that Team USA is in need of his services. His Yankees teammates Judge and reliever David Bednar will be suiting up for the USA, and Bellinger has never participated in the WBC. The 30-year-old is coming off a successful year in New York; he hit 29 home runs and posted an .813 OPS in 152 games for the Yankees. In addition to his bat, Bellinger’s defensive versatility would be another huge asset for Team USA. James Wood, Washington Nationals Talk about imposing. This would be a tremendous opportunity for Team USA to roster a pair of 6-foot-7 outfielders in Judge and Wood. Wood is coming off a breakout season for the Nationals; the 23-year-old slugged 31 home runs and recorded an OPS+ of 132 last year despite no real protection in the lineup. The concerns for rostering Wood are his sky-high strikeout rate and limited track record. He might be overmatched in the WBC, especially against Japan’s terrifying pitching staff, should the USA face the Samurais. But Wood’s menacing power is enough for manager Mark DeRosa to give him a call. Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers One of the biggest losses stemming from Carroll’s absence is his stolen-base threat — and Langford could be the best option to restore that speed. The 24-year-old swiped 22 bases and hit 22 home runs for the Rangers last year. Langford is one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball, and though he’s not as impactful at the plate or a brand-name like Carroll, his on-base skills and speed are worth seriously considering. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels Could this really happen? Will the former captain once again wear the Stars and Stripes? It’s unlikely, due to the insurance issues that are preventing a number of MLB stars from participating in the tournament. But we can still dream.
