List of highest-paid Major League Baseball players explained

Major League Baseball (MLB) does not have a hard salary cap, instead employing a luxury tax which applies to teams whose total payroll exceeds certain set thresholds for a given season.^{[1] [2]} Free agency did not exist in MLB prior to the end of the reserve clause in the 1970s, allowing owners before that time to wholly dictate the terms of player negotiations and resulting in significantly lower salaries.

Babe Ruth, widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players ever, earned an estimated $856,850 ($ inflation-adjusted from 1934 dollars) over his entire playing career.^[3] When asked whether he thought he deserved to earn $80,000 a year ($ inflation-adjusted), while the president, Herbert Hoover, had a $75,000 salary, Ruth famously remarked, "What the hell has Hoover got to do with it? Besides, I had a better year than he did."^{[4] [5]}

Pitcher Nolan Ryan was the first player to earn an annual salary above $1 million, signing a $4.5 million, 4-year contract with the Houston Astros in 1979.^[6] Kirby Puckett and Rickey Henderson signed the first contracts which paid an average of $3 million a year in November 1989. In 1990, Jose Canseco signed for 5 years and $23.5 million, making him the first player to earn an average of $4 million a year. It wasn't until 2010 when the MLB average salary rose above that same mark.^{[7] [8]}

Alex Rodriguez has signed two record-breaking contracts over the course of his career. First, he signed a $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers in December 2000 ($ inflation-adjusted from 2000 dollars).^[9] Sandy Alderson called the deal "stupefying", while Sports Illustrated noted that Rodriguez's early salaries under the contract ($21 million) would be greater than the annual payroll of the entire Minnesota Twins team that year ($15.8 million).^[9] The deal was the largest sports contract in history, doubling the total value of Kevin Garnett's $126 million National Basketball Association contract (the previous record holder) and more than doubling Mike Hampton's $121 million contract, the previous MLB record which had been signed just days before.^[9] The Rangers later traded Rodriguez to the Yankees in exchange for Alfonso Soriano before the 2004 season, though they agreed to pay $67 million of the $179 million outstanding on the contract.^[10] Despite this, he opted out of the remainder of his deal after the 2007 season and renegotiated a new $275 million, 10-year agreement with the Yankees, breaking his own record for the largest sports contract.^[11] Under this deal, Rodriguez also received $6 million when he tied the career home run total of Willie Mays (660), and would have received $6 million more had he tied Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755), and Barry Bonds (762), along with another $6 million for breaking Bonds' mark.^[11]

Five of the twenty highest-paid players in 2013 were members of the Yankees. Their team payroll for 2013 was $228,835,490, roughly $12 million above the second-largest Los Angeles Dodgers.^[12] The Yankees have drawn criticism for their payroll, with some claiming it undermines the parity of MLB.^{[13] [14]} From 2003-2020, the Yankees' payroll exceeded the luxury tax threshold every year except 2018.^[15]

Key

Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
1B	First baseman
2B	Second baseman
3B	Third baseman
SS	Shortstop
LF	Left fielder
CF	Center fielder
RF	Right fielder
C	Catcher
SP	Starting pitcher
RP	Relief pitcher
DH	Designated hitter

Highest annual salaries in 2023

This table refers to the salary for 2023 alone, not the overall average value or amount of the contract.

Rank	Name	Position	Team(s)	Salary	Ref
1		SP	Texas Rangers	$43,333,333	^[16]
	Justin Verlander		Houston Astros		^[17]
3		OF		$40,000,000	^[18]
4		3B		$38,571,428	^[19]
5	Mike Trout	CF		$37,116,666	^[20]
6		SP	New York Yankees	$36,000,000	^[21]
7	Corey Seager	SS	Texas Rangers	$35,500,000	^[22]
8	Nolan Arenado	3B	St. Louis Cardinals	$35,025,000	^[23]
9	Stephen Strasburg	SP	Washington Nationals	$35,000,000	^[24]
10	Francisco Lindor	SS	New York Mets	$34,100,000	^[25]

Top 10 Career earnings through 2023 season

Earnings up to date as of the end of the 2023 season.

Name	Team(s)	Position	Years	Earnings	Ref
	Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers New York Yankees	SS, 3B	1994–2016	$445,159,552	^[26]
	Florida Marlins Detroit Tigers	1B	2003–2023	$385,188,684	^[27]
	Detroit Tigers Houston Astros New York Mets	SP	2006–Present	$350,921,555	^[28]
	St. Louis Cardinals Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers	1B, OF, DH	2001–2022	$341,810,741	^[29]
	Kansas City Royals Milwaukee Brewers Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers Arizona Diamondbacks Houston Astros	SP	2004–Present	$303,474,948	^[30]
	Los Angeles Dodgers	SP	2009–Present	$291,176,411	^[31]
	New York Yankees	SS	1995–2014	$266,315,981	^[32]
	Cleveland Indians Milwaukee Brewers New York Yankees	SP	2001–2019	$263,500,000	^[33]
	Arizona Diamondbacks Detroit Tigers Washington Nationals Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets Texas Rangers	SP	2008–Present	$256,241,666	^[34]
	New York Yankees Seattle Mariners New York Mets San Diego Padres Atlanta Braves	2B, DH	2005–2022	$252,057,791	^[35]

Salary progression

This list documents the progression of the highest average annual value contracts/contract extensions.^[36]

Average annual salary	Date signed	Name	Team	Position	Contract duration (Years)	Ref(s)
$			Boston Red Sox	OF		^[37]
$			Chicago White Sox	1B		^[38]
$			New York Yankees	3B		^[39]
$			California Angels	1B		^[40]
$			Houston Astros	SP		^[41]
$			New York Yankees	RF	10	^[42] ^[43]
$			Baltimore Orioles	1B		^[44] ^[45]
$			Los Angeles Dodgers	SP		^[46] ^[47]
$			Kansas City Royals	SP		^[48] ^[49]
$			Minnesota Twins	CF		^[50] ^[51]
$			California Angels	SP		^[52] ^[53]
$			Kansas City Royals	SP		^[54] ^[55]
$			Oakland Athletics	SP		^[56] ^[57]
$			San Francisco Giants	1B		^[58] ^[59]
$			New York Yankees	1B		^[60] ^[61]
$			Oakland Athletics	RF/DH		^[62] ^[63]
$			Boston Red Sox	SP		^[64] ^[65]
$			New York Mets	3B/RF		^[66] ^[67]
$			Chicago Cubs	2B		^[68] ^[69]
$			San Francisco Giants	LF		^[70]
$			Seattle Mariners	CF		^[71] ^[72]
$			Chicago White Sox	LF		^[73] ^[74]
$			San Francisco Giants	LF		^[75]
$			Atlanta Braves	SP		^[76] ^[77]
$			Boston Red Sox	SP		^[78] ^[79]
$			New York Mets	C		^[80] ^[81]
$			Anaheim Angels	1B		^[82] ^[83]
$			Los Angeles Dodgers	SP		^[84] ^[85]
$			New York Yankees	SP		^[86]
$			Toronto Blue Jays	1B		^[87] ^[88]
$			Texas Rangers	SS	10	^[89]
$			New York Yankees	3B	10
$			Los Angeles Dodgers	SP	7	^[90]
$			Detroit Tigers	1B	8	^[91]
$			Arizona Diamondbacks	SP	6	^[92]
$			Los Angeles Angels	CF	12	^[93]
$			New York Yankees	SP	9	^[94]
$			New York Mets	SP	3	^[95]
$			Los Angeles Dodgers	SP	10	^[96]

See also

• Highest-paid NBA players by season
• List of player salaries in the NHL
• List of highest-paid American television stars
• List of highest-paid film actors
• List of salaries

Footnotes

• "Earnings" as discussed here refers to salaries paid to players under MLB contracts and does not include advertising or other sources of income. All values are listed in nominal dollars.
• "Average annual value" is calculated as the total value of a contract (less bonuses) divided by the number of years. A $20 million/2-year contract would have an average annual value of $10 million, even if the player actually received $9 million one season and $11 million in the other. This also does not include contracts for less than a season prorated in value for a full season such as Roger Clemens' 2006 and 2007 contracts.^{[64] [97] [98] [99] [100]} All values are listed in nominal dollars.
• Dave Winfield initially negotiated a 10-year deal in 1980 worth a projected $25 million ($2.5 million per year).^[43] However, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner reportedly had not fully understood a cost of living adjustment provision in it and the 10-year contract was renegotiated a few months later. The final precise value is unclear, although it fell between $20 and $25 million in total value ($2–2.5 million a year).^{[42] [101] [102] [103]}
• Hershiser and Frank Viola both won the 1988 Cy Young Award and Viola signed an identically sized $7.9 million, 3-year contract two months after Hershiser.^[104]
• Rickey Henderson signed a $12 million, 4-year contract with the Oakland Athletics on November 28, 1989, 6 days after Puckett signed his $9 million, 3-year contract.^{[53] [105]}
• Roger Clemens signed a contract extension during the 2000 season covering 2001 and 2002 along with a player option for 2003. Clemens was paid $10.3 million each year for 2001 and 2002, with the same $10.3 million available if he elected to play in 2003 under his option. However, Clemens also received $10.3 million if he rejected the option. As a result, he could effectively collect the full $30.9 million of contract value for only two years of play ($15.45 million annually).^{[86] [106]} However, the Yankees valued this deal as a $10.3 million annually, three-year deal.^[36] He became a free agent after the 2002 season and ultimately re-signed with the Yankees for a new, one-year contract in which they bought out the previous option.^{[64] [107]}
• Shohei Ohtani signed a $700 million 10-year contract with the Dodgers. Ohtani will receive $2 million a year for ten years and then $68 million a year for the following ten years. Because of this, the present value AAV is lower than the $70 million he'd otherwise earn if there were no deferrals.

References

Bibliography

• News: USA Today Salaries Database – Top 25. USA Today. April 26, 2011.
• Web site: Highest Career and Single-Season Salaries. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
• Web site: Highest Career Earnings. spotrac.com. March 20, 2019.

Notes and References

1. News: MLB players, owners announce five-year labor deal . October 25, 2006. Associated Press. March 5, 2011. ESPN.com.
2. Web site: Fehr does not foresee a salary cap. March 5, 2011. Bloom. Barry. MLB.com. March 10, 2009.
3. Web site: Babe Ruth Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
4. Book: Hampton, Wilborn . Babe Ruth: A twentieth-century life . 2009 . Viking . New York . 978-0-670-06305-5 . 162 . March 5, 2011.
5. Book: Stewart, Wayne . Babe Ruth: A biography . 2006 . Greenwood Press . Westport, Connecticut . 0-313-33596-6 . 93 . March 5, 2011.
6. From Catfish to A-Rod: Landmark moments from baseball's free-agent era . Belth. Alex . December 2, 2005 . . March 5, 2011.
7. News: MLB's average salary eclipses $3M for first time . December 13, 2010. March 5, 2011. Associated Press. ESPN.com.
8. Salary Progression Chart . Associated Press . December 14, 2000 . . March 5, 2011.
9. $252,000,000: A-Rod, Rangers agree to richest deal in sports history . Associated Press . December 14, 2000 . . March 5, 2011.
10. Web site: Selig gives blessing to mega-merger . February 17, 2004. March 5, 2011. ESPN.com.
11. Web site: Rodriguez finalizes $275M deal with Yankees . December 13, 2007. March 5, 2011. ESPN.com.
12. News: 2013 MLB Salaries by team. USA Today. October 1, 2013.
13. News: Parity? Yankees, Red Sox loom large for smaller market teams. Bob. Nightengale. USA Today. March 6, 2011. April 11, 2010.
14. News: Edginess Over the Yankees' Payroll. The New York Times. Tyler. Kepner. April 6, 2010. March 6, 2011.
15. Web site: Baseball Luxury Tax.
16. Web site: Max Scherzer. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
17. Web site: Justin Verlander. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
18. Web site: Aaron Judge. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
19. Web site: Anthony Rendon. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
20. Web site: Mike Trout. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
21. Web site: Gerrit Cole. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
22. Web site: Corey Seager. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
23. Web site: Nolan Arenado. spotrac.com. 2024-02-25.
24. Web site: Stephen Strasburg. spotrac.com. 2023-01-05.
25. Web site: Francisco Lindor. spotrac.com. 2024-02-25.
26. Web site: Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History. spotrac.com. March 20, 2019.
27. Web site: Miguel Cabrera Stats. Baseball-Reference.com.
28. Web site: Justin Verlander Stats. Baseball-Reference.com.
29. Web site: Albert Pujols Stats. Baseball-Reference.com.
30. Web site: Zack Greinke Stats. Baseball-Reference.com.
31. Web site: Clayton Kershaw Stats. Baseball-Reference.com.
32. Web site: Derek Jeter Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. February 5, 2013.
33. Web site: CC Sabathia Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
34. Web site: Max Scherzer Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. February 5, 2013.
35. Web site: Robinson Canó Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. February 5, 2013.
36. MLB Baseball - Salary Progression Chart . Associated Press . December 11, 2000 . CNNSI.com . . March 22, 2011.
37. News: Yastrzemski Makes Baseball History With a $500,000 Three-Year Contract. The New York Times . 18 February 1971 .
38. Web site: Today in White Sox History: February 27. 27 February 2022 .
39. Web site: Exploring the History of MLB Contracts.
40. Web site: ANGELS PULL OFF BLOCKBUSTER BY TRADING FOR CAREW.
41. Web site: Nolan Ryan Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
42. Web site: Dave Winfield Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
43. News: Yanks Sign Winfield for up to $25 million; $1.5 million for first year Winfield becomes Yankee . Chass. Murray . Murray Chass. December 16, 1980. . March 22, 2011.
44. Web site: Eddie Murray Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
45. News: Eddie Murray's new contract surpasses all others. https://archive.today/20120730224759/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=emoeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PckEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1179,3532026&dq=eddie-murray&hl=en1. dead. July 30, 2012. Boswell. Thomas. September 6, 1985. Anchorage Daily News. The Washington Post. March 22, 2011.
46. Web site: Orel Hershiser Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
47. News: Another record for Hershiser: $7.9 million Dodger contract . Chass. Murray . Murray Chass. February 17, 1989. . March 22, 2011.
48. Web site: Bret Saberhagen Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
49. News: Saberhagen highest paid in baseball. November 18, 1989. Philadelphia Inquirer.
50. Web site: Kirby Puckett Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
51. News: Puckett hits the Jackpot: First $3 million man . Chass. Murray . Murray Chass. November 23, 1989. . March 22, 2011.
52. Web site: Mark Langston Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
53. News: Angels and Langston agree on $16 million . Chass. Murray . Murray Chass. December 2, 1989. . March 22, 2011.
54. Web site: Mark Davis Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
55. News: Mark Davis signs with Royals for $13 million . Durso. Joseph. December 12, 1989. . March 22, 2011.
56. Web site: Dave Stewart Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
57. News: Dave Stewart agrees to contract . January 18, 1990. Harlan Daily Enterprise. Associated Press . March 22, 2011.
58. Web site: Will Clark Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
59. News: Will Clark package zooms to $15 million . January 23, 1990. The New York Times. Associated Press . March 22, 2011.
60. Web site: Don Mattingly Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
61. News: Sports of the Times; Mattingly: Yankees' last tradition . April 11, 1990. The New York Times. Dave. Anderson . March 22, 2011.
62. Web site: Jose Canseco Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
63. News: Canseco gets his pitch: $23.5 million from A's . June 28, 1990. The New York Times. Leonard. Koppett . March 22, 2011.
64. Web site: Roger Clemens Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
65. News: Baseball; Clemens signs for more than $5 million a year . February 9, 1991. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass . March 22, 2011.
66. Web site: Bobby Bonilla Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
67. News: Baseball; How Bonilla got Mets to empty their pockets . December 3, 1991. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass . March 22, 2011.
68. Web site: Ryne Sandberg Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
69. News: Sandberg becomes highest-paid player, for now . March 3, 1992. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass . March 22, 2011.
70. News: Baseball; Giants make investment: $43 million in Bonds . December 6, 1992. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass . March 22, 2011.
71. Web site: Ken Griffey, Jr. Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
72. News: Baseball; Griffey becomes the first $8 million dollar man . February 1, 1996. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass . March 22, 2011.
73. Web site: Albert Belle Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
74. News: Belle signs the richest deal: 5 years, $55 million . November 20, 1996. The New York Times. Claire. Smith . March 22, 2011.
75. News: Extension gives Bonds top salary . February 21, 1997. The New York Times. March 22, 2011.
76. Web site: Greg Maddux Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
77. News: Maddux's deal heads salary list . August 11, 1997. The New York Times. March 22, 2011 . Jerry . Schwartz.
78. Web site: Pedro Martinez Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
79. News: Baseball; Martinez's $75 million for 6 years raises bar . December 11, 1997. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass. March 22, 2011.
80. Web site: Mike Piazza Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
81. News: Baseball; The Mets agree to make Piazza baseball's richest player; Leiter says he is close to a $32 million deal . October 25, 1998. The New York Times. Jason. Diamos. March 22, 2011.
82. Web site: Mo Vaughn Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
83. News: Baseball: On baseball; Boston, with Vaughn gone, now can't win for signing . November 27, 1998. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass. March 22, 2011.
84. Web site: Kevin Brown Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
85. News: Baseball: Brown becomes the richest in baseball . December 13, 1998. The New York Times. Jason. Diamos. March 22, 2011.
86. News: Clemens' New Deal is most unusual. Olney. Buster . Buster Olney. August 12, 2000. . March 22, 2011.
87. Web site: Carlos Delgado Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
88. News: Plus: Baseball; Delgado becomes top-paid player . October 21, 2000. The New York Times. Murray. Chass. Murray Chass. March 22, 2011.
89. Web site: Alex Rodriguez Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
90. Web site: Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw have deal. 15 January 2014 .
91. Web site: Tigers sign Miguel Cabrera to 8-year, $248 million extension. 27 March 2014 .
92. Web site: Zack Greinke finalizes 6-year, $206.5M deal with D-backs. 8 December 2015 .
93. News: Mike Trout and Angels Said to Agree to $430 Million Deal. Kepner. Tyler. 2019-03-19. The New York Times. 2019-03-19. en-US. 0362-4331.
94. News: Cole joins Yankees on 9-year deal.
95. Web site: Max Scherzer: Inside His Record-breaking Contract with the Mets. 29 November 2021 .
96. Web site: Shohei Ohtani Is Deferring 97% of His Contract. 12 December 2023 .
97. News: Rocket relaunch: Clemens rejoins Astros . June 1, 2006. Associated Press. March 5, 2011. ESPN.com.
98. Web site: Roger Clemens 2006 Pitching Gamelogs. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
99. Web site: Clemens to make about $4.5 million per month . May 7, 2007. March 5, 2011. ESPN.com.
100. Web site: If inclined, Yankees would need Rocket's OK on trade . May 30, 2007. Buster. Olney. Buster Olney. March 5, 2011. ESPN.com.
101. News: Dave Winfield finds baseball and business the perfect mix . Joseph. Durso. February 9, 1981. . March 22, 2011.
102. News: Winfield finishes business with Yankees and Padres. February 3, 1981. The New York Times.
103. News: Today's Sport Parade . Richman. Milton. February 15, 1981. United Press International.
104. News: Viola gets big pact, loss . Associated Press. April 20, 1989. Spokane Chronicle. March 22, 2011.
105. Web site: Rickey Henderson Statistics and History. Baseball-Reference.com. March 5, 2011.
106. News: Paying it forward: The Mets' cash troubles are epitomized by the story of Bobby Bonilla . August 12, 2013.
107. News: Clemens staying put in pinstripes: Yankees' ace re-signs in pursuit of win No. 300 . . December 31, 2002.