A high schooler got the best of Aaron Judge during Friday’s World Baseball Classic matchup between Team USA and Brazil.
Yes, a high schooler.
With the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, 17-year-old right-hander Joseph Contreras — son of former Yankee pitcher Jose Contreras — got Judge to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Contreras fared better against Judge than Brazil starter Bo Takahashi, who gave up a two-run homer to the three-time American League MVP that gave the U.S. an early 2-0 lead.
Despite his brief appearance, Contreras’ outing was impressive, throwing a fastball in the high-90s while giving up one earned run in 1⅓ innings.
Contreras is the youngest player in the entire 2026 WBC, and currently attends Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, Georgia.
According to MLB.com, Contreras is ranked as the No. 47 draft prospect and is committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt.
“He could fit into the top two rounds as one of the higher-ceiling arms in the high school class, though teams will have to sign him away from a Vanderbilt commitment,” Contreras’ MLB.com prospect profile says. “He still has room to pack plenty of muscle on his lanky frame, so he could add more power to his heater and his secondary offerings.”
Contreras’ father, Jose, spent 11 seasons in the big leagues (2003-13), spending time with the Yankees, White Sox, Rockies, Phillies and Pirates.
Across his MLB tenure, Jose posted a 4.57 ERA and 889 strikeouts through 299 appearances, along with having an All-Star appearance in 2006 with the White Sox.
Despite Jose being from Cuba, Joseph is eligible to play for Brazil in the WBC because his mother is Brazilian.
