Who’s the Highest Paid Player in Baseball?

The highest paid player in baseball is Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels. Trout signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract extension with the Angels in March of 2019.

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid player in baseball. He is a third baseman for the New York Yankees, and he has a record-breaking contract. Rodriguez is a 14-time All-Star and a 3-time MVP. He has also won 2 World Series Championships with the Yankees. Let’s take a closer look at his salary and contract.

2017 Salary

Alex Rodriguez will earn a total of $27 million in salary in 2017, which is the highest amount of any player in Major League Baseball. His salary is comprised of a base salary of $21.3 million, as well as a signing bonus of $5 million and an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.

Contract History

In 2000, Rodriguez signed a 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $252 million, the most lucrative contract in baseball history at the time. After being traded to the New York Yankees in 2004, he signed a new 10-year, $275 million contract with them. That contract included an unusual opt-out clause that allowed Rodriguez to become a free agent after the 2007 season. In 2007, Rodriguez exercised that option and became a free agent. He then signed a new contract with the Yankees for $275 million over the next 10 years. Rodriguez’s new contract ties him to the Yankees through the 2017 season

Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper is an American professional baseball right fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Harper was the first overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft by the Washington Nationals. He won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 2012.

2017 Salary

Bryce Harper will be paid a base salary of $13 million in 2017, the third year of his 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He will also receive a $2 million signing bonus, as well as performance-based bonuses.

Contract History

Bryce Harper signed a 14-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in late February. The deal is the largest total contract value in baseball history, as well as the largest average annual value ($23.6 million). Harper’s deal also eclipses Giancarlo Stanton’s record for the highest average annual value for a position player ($25 million).

Harper was eligible for free agency after playing out his seven-year, $127.9 million contract that he signed with the Washington Nationals as a rookie in 2010. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award that season, and was named an All-Star in each of his six full seasons with the Nationals. He was also named NL MVP in 2015, when he hit .330/.460/.649 with 42 home runs and 118 RBIs.

Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and is currently the highest paid player in baseball. He signed a 7 year, $215 million contract extension with the Dodgers in 2014.

2017 Salary

As of the 2017 season, Clayton Kershaw is the highest paid player in baseball, with an annual salary of $33,000,000. He signed a 7-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014 worth $215,000,000. In addition to his salary, Kershaw also receives annual bonus payments of $1,000,000 for each Cy Young Award he has won (he has won 3), and $500,000 for each All-Star Game he has been selected to (he has been selected 7 times).

Contract History

Kershaw signed a 7-year, $215 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014. The contract includes an opt-out clause after 5 years. In 2019, Kershaw will earn a base salary of $33 million, while carrying a total salary of $33 million.

In November 2014, Kershaw became the highest paid pitcher in baseball history, surpassing Justin Verlander’s record of $180 million.

Kershaw has two-time NL Cy Young Awards (2011 and 2013), an NL MVP Award (2014), and he is a three-time NL ERA leader (2011-2013).

Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke is currently the highest paid player in baseball, with an annual salary of $34.3 million. He signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks in December 2015. Greinke is a six-time All-Star and was the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner.

2017 Salary

Zack Greinke will be the highest paid player in baseball for the 2017 season. His salary will be $34 million dollars. He is currently signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Contract History

Greinke signed a four-year, $38 million contract extension with the Royals in December 2010, just before he was eligible for free agency. The extension bought out his final two years of arbitration eligibility and covered his first two years of free agency. It was the richest contract ever given to a pitcher with fewer than three years of service time.

In 2013, Greinke opted out of his contract after just two seasons, becoming a free agent. He signed a six-year, $147 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal made him the highest-paid right-handed pitcher in baseball history at the time.

In 2015, Greinke helped lead the Dodgers to the National League West title. He finished the season 19-3 with a 1.66 ERA, leading MLB in both wins and ERA. He was voted NL Cy Young Award winner unanimously, becoming just the sixth Dodger to win the award.

Miguel Cabrera

Miguel Cabrera is the highest paid player in baseball. He signed a 10-year, $292 million extension with the Detroit Tigers in 2014. Cabrera is a two-time American League MVP and a four-time batting champion. He’s a career .321 hitter with 446 home runs.

2017 Salary

$30 million

Contract History

Miguel Cabrera signed his first professional contract with the Florida Marlins in 1999. He was just 16 years old at the time, and the contract was worth $1.9 million. Cabrera played his first few seasons with the Marlins’ minor league affiliate, the Kane County Cougars, before being called up to the majors in 2003. He spent six seasons with the Marlins, compiling a .313 batting average and 139 home runs. In 2008, Cabrera was traded to the Detroit Tigers in a deal that also sent pitcher Dontrelle Willis to Detroit.

Cabrera signed an eight-year, $153.3 million contract extension with the Tigers in 2008. The extension includes a club option for a ninth year that, if exercised, would bring the total value of the contract to $248 million. This made Cabrera the highest-paid player in baseball at the time. In 2013, Cabrera became just the second Triple Crown winner in baseball history (joining Yankees great Mickey Mantle), taking home MVP honors as well. He has also won four Silver Slugger Awards and two Hank Aaron Awards throughout his career.