Corbin Carroll opens up about Team USA WBC decision, playing with Aaron Judge and more

Arizona Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll enjoyed an impressive season in 2025. Finishing with a .259 batting average, 31 home runs and 84 RBIs, the outfielder earned himself an All-Star selection and Silver Slugger award, along with an inclusion in the All-MLB second team.

As a result of his strong performances, the 25-year-old has been shortlisted to play in left field for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Appearing on Friday's episode of "Underdog Baseball with Jared Carrabis", Carroll opened up about how eager he is to represent his country, his mindset heading into the tournament, and his excitement of sharing the outfield with Aaron Judge.

"It was a huge goal of mine going into the season to play well enough to be considered [to play for Team USA in the WBC], and I can't wait. The mindset is all hands on deck, all boundaries removed, it's just whatever you have to do win for the country.

I'm excited to share an outfield with Aaron Judge, to tell someone that, that's really special," Carroll said [15:50].

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Corbin Carroll lists the major league superstars that influenced his playstyle

While most big league stars make a name for themselves as the masters of a particular skill, Corbin Carroll is a player that can create value for his team in several ways, be it through his powerful hitting ability, speed between the bases, or outstanding defensive ability.

In the same conversation, Carroll listed some big league superstars that he watched quite closely while growing up, and eventually tried to model his playstyle after.

"I think the easy ones that stick out for me, that I watched growing up, looked at their swings and highlights on YouTube - [Mike] Trout obviously, [Jose] Altuve, Christian Yelich, Mookie [Betts] and [Alex] Bregman.

I'd say those five guys for me, kind of stand out. I still remember being in high school or even younger, getting on YouTube and break down their swing a little bit," Carroll said [4:40].

Corbin Carroll in action for the Arizona Diamondbacks - Source: Getty

Despite Carroll's best efforts, the Arizona Diamondbacks failed to qualify for the postseason in 2025, finishing sixth in the NL wildcard standings with an 80-82 record, three games outside the top three.