Minnesota Twins star center fielder Byron Buxton has been one of MLB's better players at his position for years, but he hasn't had the playoff success he deserves. However, the 32-year-old will represent the United States in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, per USA Baseball.

Byron Buxton 🤝 Team USA

The @Twins outfielder is joining the squad for the World Baseball Classic! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Ut6FXE0TeO

— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) January 12, 2026

Buxton joins fellow Twin Joe Ryan on the roster, who finished ninth in baseball with a 1.04 WHIP this past season and has notched a sub-4.00 ERA in three of the last four campaigns as a starting pitcher. Meanwhile, Buxton was 10th with an .878 OPS, and tied for 13th with 35 homers over 126 games.

Both players will make their WBC debuts after spending their entire big-league tenures in Minnesota thus far. The Twins drafted Buxton second overall in 2012 and called him up in 2015. Since then, the Georgia native has made two All-Star teams and has one Gold Glove, Platinum Glove, and Silver Slugger Awards.

Meanwhile, Minnesota acquired Ryan from the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 after the latter team drafted him in the seventh round in 2018. The right-hander made his first All-Star team in 2025 and has a career 3.79 ERA.

The Twins are now one of six MLB teams with multiple players on the USA WBC squad, joining the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and Chicago Cubs.

Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan Join Stacked USA Roster

The United States has as good of a chance to win the WBC as any nation given its wealth of talent. The squad is headlined by 2025 AL MVP Aaron Judge, AL MVP Cal Raleigh, NL Cy Young Award-winner Paul Skenes, and AL Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal.

The supporting cast includes All-Stars like Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper, Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunar Henderson, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll, San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller, Ryan, and Buxton.

Talkin' Baseball projected Raleigh to start behind the plate with Harper at first, Milwaukee Brewers infielder Brice Turang at second, Witt at shortstop, Henderson at third, Carrol in left, Buxton in center, and Judge in right. The starting pitching rotation was listed as Skenes, Skubal, San Francisco Giants right-hander Logan Webb, Ryan, and Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd.

Buxton could split time in center with Crow-Armstrong, who notched a .768 OPS, 31 homers, and 95 RBIs over 157 games for Chicago this past season.

Here's how Team USA is shaping up with the addition of Byron Buxton pic.twitter.com/DFCVL2FDL6

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) January 12, 2026