Who Is the Highest Paid Major League Baseball Player?

The answer may surprise you. We take a look at the top 10 highest paid MLB players for the 2020 season.

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid Major League Baseball player, as of the 2019 season. He is set to make $33 million dollars this year, which is the most ever for a baseball player in a single season. Rodriguez has been signed to a 10-year, $275 million contract with the Yankees, which is the richest contract in baseball history.

Salary

In 2014, Alex Rodriguez was the highest paid baseball player with a salary of $29 million. He was followed by Albert Pujols, who earned $28 million. The top five earners in baseball were:

1. Alex Rodriguez – $29 million
2. Albert Pujols – $28 million
3. Joey Votto – $22 million
4. Clayton Kershaw – $21 million
5. Felix Hernandez – $20 million

Endorsements

In addition to his career in Major League Baseball, Alex Rodriguez has also amassed a fortune through endorsement deals with companies like Nike, Rawlings, and Topps. His 10-year, $252 million contract with the Yankees is the most lucrative deal in baseball history, but it is his endorsements that have made him the highest-paid player in the sport. In 2007, Forbes estimated that Rodriguez earned $30 million from endorsements, more than any other baseball player.

Rodriguez’s off-field earnings took a hit in 2009 when it was revealed that he had used performance-enhancing drugs during his time with the Texas Rangers. Several of his sponsors, including Nike and Topps,dropped him as a result of the scandal. However, he has since bounced back and signed new deals with companies like Rawlings and eMode. In total, Rodriguez has earned more than $350 million from his endorsements.

Miguel Cabrera

Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera is the highest paid player in Major League Baseball, earning an annual salary of $30 million. The two-time American League MVP signed a eight-year, $248 million contract extension in 2014. Cabrera is a 11-time All-Star and a five-time Silver Slugger winner.

Salary

Miguel Cabrera is a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He is the first baseman for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Cabrera has played 17 seasons in MLB, all for the Tigers. He is a two-time American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP), winning the awards in 2012 and 2013. He won the AL batting title in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2012, he became the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years.

Cabrera’s $30 million average annual salary is the highest in MLB history among players with at least 10 years of major league service time.

Endorsements

In addition to his Major League Baseball salary, Miguel Cabrera generates additional income from endorsements with companies such as New Era Cap, Nike, Topps, and Rawlings. He has also appeared in commercials for Pepsi and Nike. As one of the top players in Major League Baseball, Cabrera is able to command a higher salary from endorsements than many other players.

Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is currently the highest paid Major League Baseball player, making an annual salary of $31.7 million. He is a left-handed pitcher who has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Kershaw is a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner and the 2014 National League Most Valuable Player.

Salary

As of the 2019 season, Clayton Kershaw is the highest paid Major League Baseball player, with an annual salary of $33,000,000. The left-handed pitcher has played his entire 11-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and has won three National League Cy Young Awards (2011, 2013, 2014).

Endorsements

Kershaw has done numerous endorsements. He has been in commercials for Adidas, Arby’s, New Era Cap, Rawlings, Impark, Topps baseball cards, and Muscle Milk. He has also been featured in a commercial for the MLB 2K video game franchise. In early 2014, Kershaw was featured in a commercial for mobile seat-finding app SeatGeek. In May 2014, Kershaw was featured in Samsung’s “Next Big Thing” campaign along with Peyton Manning and LeBron James.

Mike Trout

When it comes to money, Mike Trout is the king of Major League Baseball. TheLos Angeles Angels star has been the highest paid player in the league for several years now. In 2019, he signed a 12-year, $426.5 million extension with the Angels that made him the richest player in baseball history. Trout’s annual salary averages out to be around $36 million per year.

Salary

In baseball, the prime years for a player are generally considered to be between the ages of 27 and 31. These are the years when most players hit their physical peak and produce their best statistical seasons. For Mike Trout, those years have been 2012-2016. Over that five year span, Trout has compiled a .305/.419/.550 batting line, 166 home runs, 563 RBIs, and 638 runs scored. He’s also stolen 143 bases and been worth 46.5 WAR according to FanGraphs. All of that has made him the best player in baseball, and it’s resulted in five top-two finishes in AL MVP voting.

Trout is only 26 years old, but he’s already accomplished more than enough to earn a spot in baseball’s Hall of Fame. He should have a long career ahead of him, but how much longer remains to be seen. In November of 2018, Trout signed a 12-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Angels worth $426.5 million. That deal will keep him under contract with the Angels through 2030, when he’ll be 37 years old.

The contract extension will undoubtedly make Trout the highest paid player in Major League Baseball history once it goes into effect for the 2019 season. The total value of Trout’s deal surpasses the previous record for a Major League Baseball contract set by Giancarlo Stanton, who signed a 13-year deal worth $325 million with the Miami Marlins before the 2015 season. Stanton was traded to the Yankees in December of 2017 after just three seasons with Miami, so he’ll only end up playing 10 seasons under that contract.

Endorsements

As of May 2020, Mike Trout’s total career earnings are $426.5 million. Of that sum, $416 million has come from his major league contracts while the remaining $10.5 million has come from endorsements.

Trout’s most notable endorsement deals are with Nike (NKE) – Get Report, Rawlings and BodyArmor. He also endorses products for neck and elbow health, as he has had to deal with injuries in those areas in recent years.

In 2019, Trout signed a 10-year extension with the Los Angeles Angels worth a record-setting $430 million. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and does not include any opt-outs, meaning Trout will be with the Angels for the rest of his playing career.

Zack Greinke

The right-handed pitcher for the Houston Astros is currently the highest paid player in the MLB, with an annual salary of $34.4 million. He signed a six-year contract extension with the Astros in 2018, which pays him an average of $32 million per year. In 2019, he was the runner-up for the Cy Young Award.

Salary

As of 2019, Zack Greinke is the highest paid major league baseball player, with an annual salary of $34.4 million. He signed a six-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks in December 2015, and will be a free agent after the 2021 season. Greinke is a right-handed pitcher who has played for four different teams during his 15-year career. He was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2002, and made his debut with the team in 2004. Greinke was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2010, and then to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2012. He signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015.

Endorsements

Greinke has endorsements with Nike, Gatorade, robbery prevention service Protect My Car, and Wilson Sporting Goods.