Who’s the Highest Paid Baseball Player?
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We all know that baseball players can make a lot of money, but just who is the highest paid player in the Major Leagues? We did a little research and found out that the answer might surprise you!
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid baseball player in the world. He is currently signed with the New York Yankees and has a contract worth $275 million. He is a 10-time All-Star and has won 3 MVP Awards. He is also the all-time leader in home runs among active players.
A-Rod’s Salary
In 2007, Alex Rodriguez became the highest paid baseball player of all time, signing a 10-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees. The previous record had been the $252 million, 10-year contract signed by Derek Jeter in 2001. A-Rod’s new contract included a provision that would have allowed him to opt out of the deal after three years and become a free agent. However, he decided to stay with the Yankees, signing a new contract in 2008 for an additional $275 million over seven years.
A-Rod’s total career earnings are estimated to be over $530 million. He is currently the fifth highest paid baseball player, behind Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, and Miguel Cabrera.
A-Rod’s Endorsements
Alex Rodriguez has many endorsement deals, but some of the most notable are with Nike, Rawlings, and the Vitamin Shoppe. He has also been known to endorse different products on his Twitter account. In 2013, Forbes estimated that A-Rod made $30 million from endorsements.
Miguel Cabrera
Miguel Cabrera, a 33-year-old from Venezuela, is currently the highest paid baseball player. He signed a eight-year contract extension with the Detroit Tigers in 2014 for $248 million. Cabrera is a 11-time All-Star and has won four Silver Slugger Awards.
Miggy’s Salary
Miguel Cabrera is currently the highest paid baseball player, with an annual salary of $31 million. He signed his current eight-year, $248 million contract extension in 2014, which runs through 2023 and includes a vesting option for 2024. Cabrera’s salary is the highest in MLB history for a player with his service time.
Miggy’s Endorsements
As a two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star, Miguel Cabrera is one of the most popular players in baseball. That popularity has translated into lucrative endorsement deals with some of the biggest brands in sports and beyond.
Cabrera’s most notable endorsement is with PNC Bank, for whom he has served as a brand ambassador since 2013. The partnership has been highly successful, with Cabrera appearing in numerous commercials and helping the bank to reach a wider audience. Other major endorsement deals include Under Armour, New Era Cap, Topps cards, and Rawlings gloves.
In addition to his on-field success, Cabrera’s endorsees have praised him for his work off the field. PNC Bank Chairman and CEO Bill Demchak said that Cabrera ” not only excels at baseball but also brings an infectious smile and warmth that have made him a fan favorite.” Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank also praised Cabrera as “a great partner” who “embodies what it means to be ‘Under Armour.'”
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw, who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is the highest paid baseball player in the world. He signed a 7 year, $215 million contract extension in 2014. In 2015, he made $32 million dollars. He is a 3 time Cy Young Award winner and the 2014 NL MVP.
Kershaw’s Salary
Clayton Kershaw is a professional baseball player who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is currently the highest paid baseball player, earning an annual salary of $33 million.
Kershaw’s Endorsements
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, has many endorsements with companies such as Nike, Muscle Milk, Rawlings, and Topps. He has been a Nike athlete since he was 18 years old and has his own clothing line with the company. Kershaw is also an avid supporter of Always Swing 3, a non-profit organization that helps children in need. In addition to his corporate sponsorships, Kershaw has also donated millions of dollars to various charities.
Mike Trout
As of May 2020, the highest-paid baseball player is Mike Trout, who signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Angels in March 2019. Trout is a five-time All-Star and two-time AL MVP. He has led the AL in OPS+ four times and in WAR six times.
Trout’s Salary
As of April 2021, Mike Trout is the highest-paid baseball player in the world, earning an annual salary of $37.67 million. The 27-year-old center fielder has been with the Los Angeles Angels since 2011 and is currently in the final year of his contract. In 2019, Trout became baseball’s first $400 million player after signing a 12-year extension with the team.
Trout’s $37.67 million salary is nearly double the second-highest paid player in baseball, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, who makes $26 million per year. Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Nationals in 2019.
Other top-paid players include Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw ($31 million), Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton ($26 million) and Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom ($25 million).
Trout’s Endorsements
Mike Trout, who is widely considered the best baseball player in the world, has signed a number of lucrative endorsement deals throughout his career. In 2013, he signed a deal with Nike worth an undisclosed amount. In 2014, he signed a five-year extension with Adidas for an undisclosed amount. In 2015, he signed a deal with Rawlings for an undisclosed amount. And in 2016, he signed the biggest endorsement deal of his career thus far with Under Armour, reportedly worth $20 million.
Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper, who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies, is the highest paid baseball player in the world. Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies in 2019. This contract made him the highest paid baseball player in history. Harper is a six-time All-Star and was the National League MVP in 2015.
Harper’s Salary
In 2019, Harper signed a 13-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies worth $330 million. This made him the highest-paid baseball player in history, surpassing the record previously set by Giancarlo Stanton of $325 million.
Harper’s deal is also the third-largest contract for any athlete in North American professional sports history, behind only Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels ($426.5 million) and Canelo Alvarez of Boxing ($365 million).
Harper’s Endorsements
In addition to his earnings from salary and performance bonuses, Harper has numerous lucrative endorsement deals. In 2019, he signed a 10-year partnership with Under Armour worth a reported $20 million. He also has endorsement deals with New Era, Rawlings, and Gatorade, among others. In total, Harper’s endorsement deals are worth an estimated $10 million per year.