Have you ever wondered how lucrative baseball playing is? While NBA players may be the top-earning athletes in the world, how does baseball compare? If you are curious about the highest-paid baseball player in the world, you’ve come to the right place.
In recent years, MLB salaries have reached new heights, with the average player earning over $4 million per year. That’s a considerable increase from the early days of baseball when players typically earned less than $1,000 per season.
Today, MLB salaries are among the highest of any professional sport. The highest-paid players can earn over $40 million per year. These figures may be staggering, but they reflect the growing popularity of baseball and the massive revenues it generates.
Who Are the Highest-Paid Baseball Players Today?
9. Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers is the ninth highest-paid baseball player, with an annual salary of $32.5 million. The 28-year-old shortstop has been one of the best players in the major leagues since he made his debut in 2015, and he was recently named to his third All-Star team.
Seager is also a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. 2016 proved to be a fruitful year for him, as he clinched the National League Rookie of the Year title. Seager has also been a top earner off the field; striking endorsement deals with brands like Nike, Adidas, and Rawlings.
Seager’s impressive career earnings have also landed him on Forbes’ list of the 100 highest-paid athletes in the world for three consecutive years. Undoubtedly, Corey is one of the world’s most talented and successful baseball players.
8. Trevor Bauer, Los Angeles Dodgers
Trevor Bauer comes in eighth, earning a reported $34 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bauer has been with the Dodgers since 2020, after he was traded from the Cleveland Indians.
He was an All-Star in 2018 and 2019 and finished in the top five in Cy Young voting in both years. Bauer is also a two-time American League Earned Run Average (ERA) leader.
In addition to his salary, Bauer earned a $2 million signing bonus when he joined the Dodgers.
7. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
Next, we have Francisco, reportedly raking in $34.1 million from the Mets. Shortstop Francisco Lindor is the 7th-ranked highest-paid baseball player. He signed a one-year contract with the New York Mets in 2021 after playing for the Cleveland Indians.
Lindor is a four-time All-Star and was the Silver Slugger Award winner in 2018. He is also a two-time Gold Glove winner and a two-time Platinum Glove winner. Lindor has had an impressive career thus far, and his future is bright.
6. Anthony Rendon, Los Angeles Angels
Anthony Rendon is a no-brainer with over $35 million in earnings from the Los Angeles Angels. The third baseman has been with the Angels since 2019 and has bagged All-Star honors in his first two seasons with the team.
Before joining the Angels, Rendon spent seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, where he was a key player in their World Series-winning team in 2019.
Rendon was also named National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) that year. He has also earned handsome sums of cash from endorsements and star appearances. He is the face of New Balance’s baseball line and has appeared in commercials for Toyota and Gatorade.
5. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
Stephen Strasburg is the fifth highest-paid baseball player today, earning an annual salary of $35 million from the Washington Nationals. The right-handed pitcher is a two-time All-Star and was named World Series MVP in 2019 after leading the Nationals to their first-ever championship.
In the 2009 MLB Draft, Strasburg was the first overall pick and opened his account with the Nationals in 2010.
He has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball over the past decade, compiling a career record of 121-58 with a 3.20 ERA. Strasburg has also earned income from endorsements with companies like Under Armour and Rawlings.
4. Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins
Correa is a two-time All-Star and was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2015. He was also named to the MLB All-Star Game twice, in 2015 and 2017. His consistent performances have played a pivotal role in helping the Astros win two World Series titles (2017 and 2019).
In addition to his salary, Correa will earn an annual $1 million in deferred payments. Correa banks an amount of $35.1 million as his salary.
As part of the extension, Correa will have a full no-trade clause for the first four years of his contract and a limited no-trade clause for the final two years. The extension makes Correa one of the highest-paid shortstops in baseball history.
Correa has also been included on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes for four consecutive years (2017-2020).
3. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
As of 2019, Mike Trout is the third highest-paid baseball player, earning an annual amount of $35.5 million. Trout has been the Los Angeles Angels center fielder since 2011 and has been one of the most dynamic players in the league, being named an All-Star in seven straight seasons.
He has also been pretty well-compensated for his accomplishments, signing a 12-year, $426 million contract extension with the Angels in 2019.
As for his income, Trout also has endorsement deals with major brands like Nike, BodyArmor, and Baseball Express.
2. Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
With a record-setting contract of $325 million over nine years, Gerrit Cole is currently the world’s second highest-paid baseball player.
The 31-year-old right-hander signed with the New York Yankees in December 2019 after spending five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. When it comes to earnings, he closes his salary at around $36 million.
Cole was drafted 28th overall by the Pirates in 2011 and made his Major League debut in 2013. Quickly establishing himself as one of the game’s top pitchers, he earned an All-Star selection in 2015 and finished fourth in National League Cy Young voting in 2017.
In 2018, Cole was traded to the Houston Astros, where he helped lead the team to a World Series title. The next year, he transferred to the New York Yankees, where he has continued to thrive.
In 2020, Cole had one of the best seasons of his career, going 7-3 with a 2.84 ERA and 182 strikeouts.
Who Is the World’s Highest-Paid Baseball Player?
Max Scherzer, a right-handed pitcher for the New York Mets, is the highest-paid baseball player in the world. This year, he earned $43.33 million in salary and bonuses, and Max Scherzer’s net worth is estimated at $130 million.
Scherzer has had an impressive career, winning three Cy Young Awards and being named to seven All-Star teams. In addition to his salary, Scherzer also earns income from endorsements and appearances.
He has deals with Nike, Pepsi, and other brands. These deals are worth millions of dollars per year. In 2018, he signed a two-year extension with the Nationals, including a no-trade clause and a $50 million signing bonus.
Who Is the World’s Highest-Paid Athlete?
The world’s highest-paid athlete is a basketball player, Lebron James, with an annual salary of $121.2 million. He is followed by an Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi, who earns a salary of $130 million. Finally, Messi and James are followed by another soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo, who rounds out the top three with an annual salary of $115 million.
These Salaries Hit It Out Of The Park
It is not surprising that this list of the highest-paid baseball players also reflects the best players in the league. MLB teams spare no expense in acquiring and retaining the services of the most talented baseball players. Moreover, companies shower these influential athletes with lucrative brand endorsement deals, further increasing their net worth.
With their income soaring to the millions, expectations for these top earners also run high among the team owners and fans. Let’s wait till the end of this season and see if they deliver.
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The article was produced and syndicated by Finance Quick Fix.