Baseball is America’s favorite pastime. It has been around for over 170 years and is as popular today as it ever was. Many people would arguably tell you that baseball is the best sport, and for many reasons, one of which it is the sport that people think most of when it comes to relaxing at your favorite baseball field, the sun shining warm and bright, eating a hotdog with all the trimmings, and drinking an ice cold beer. The sport is also an easy one to follow and gives you a lot of excitement when you see your team’s players cross over home plate. It is also a sport that has history of some of the richest sports players ever. There are a lot of MLB players that have acquired an enormous net worth. Here are the 20 richest MLB players of all time.
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20. Mike Piazza Net Worth – $70 million
Mike Piazza is retired frompro baseball, but he had quite a run in his career that took him from one team tothe next over the years. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, and the New York Mets during his career. He was born in 1968 and during his college years, he was drafted by the Dodgers’ manager, Tommy Lasorda, a family friend. He made his debutwith the team in 1992 and became anoutstandinghitter, for being a catcher. He won Rookie of the Year in 1993 after 149 games. He retired in 2008, with a net worth of $80 million.
19. Justin Verlander Net Worth – $80 Million
Justin Verlander was born February 20, 1983 and is a pitcherfor the Detroit Tigers. His baseball career began when he was young. His father sent him to The Richmond Baseball Academy and shortly after, his fast pitch ball was clocked at 84 mph. Hehas two fast-pitch balls, both of whichhe is most known for. One is known toalways clock between 90 and 100 mph, while his second, is a two-seamer that clocks around the low-to-mid 90 mph range. Verlander is called, “Versexy” due tohisdominating pitch. He wasfeaturedon the cover of Major League Baseball 2K12 back in2011, and later that same year, he was chosenby the Baseball Writers Association of America, for the 2011 AL CY Young Award. He has signed a 7-year $180 million contract with the DetroitTigers, and has a net worth of$80 million.
18. Jim Thome Net Worth – $80 million
Jim Thome last played for the Baltimore Orioles and earned a $1.25 million salary from them. He’s earned his $80 million net worth from all of his years of playing pro baseball that started as a third baseman, which later became first baseman, while playing for the Cleveland, Indians. During his lengthy career, Thome has earned a few different nicknames, including, “The Pride of Peroia,” “Mr. Incredible,” and the “Thomenator.” It was 2003 that Thome startedplaying with the Philadelphia Phillies after he signed an $85 million contract. However, in 2005, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and became the team’s designated hitter. He went through a few more trades in short periods of time, including back to the Phillies, and finally to the Baltimore Orioles. He is seventh on the list of all-time home run hitters with 610 dingers.
17. Felix Hernandez Net Worth – $80 Million
Felix Hernandez was born in April of 1986 and is the starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. His fast ball has been clocked at 100 mph, which earned him the nickname, “King Felix.” His incredible pitch got him noticed by a Seattle Mariners scout while he was pitching for a tournament near Maracaibo, Venezuela and he was signed on to the Seattle Mariners shortly after, at the tender age of 16. In 2011, Hernandez was chosen to the American League All Star Team for the second time, and on August 31, that same year, Hernandez struck nine batters out, which gave him 204 strikeouts up to that date. His net worth is high enough to rank him as one of the richest MLB players of all time.
16. CC Sabathia Net Worth – $80 Million
CC Sabathia is an American baseball player who pitches for the Milwaukee Brewers. He has quite a career history and has played for a few different teams. He is currently with the New York Yankees since 2008. Once he signed with the team, he became the highest-paid pitcher in MLB. His first team he played with was the Cleveland Indians, which he played with for seven and a half years. While with the Indians, Sabathiaearned the 2007 Cy Young Award before he moved on tojoining the Milwaukee Brewersand lead the team all the way to the Wild Card, their first playoff in 26 years.He has been named as one of the most “durable” players in baseball’s history and he is recognized for hisimpressive numbers of innings pitched in his career, which is more than 200. His remarkable career and sponsors has earned him a net worth of $80 million, which is why he falls on the list of one of the richest MLB players ever.
15. Carlos Beltran Net Worth – $80 Million
Carlos Beltran is a Puerto-Rican born MLB player, born in 1977, and grew up playing both volleyball and baseball. Over time, Beltran left volleyball behind to concentrate all his efforts on baseball and by 1995, Beltran was drafted to the Kansas City Royals.Beltran has been All-Star 8 times, has had three Gold Glove Awards and is a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Other achievements include, being a member of the 30-30club, and the300-300 club. He has earned more than $160 million in salaries during his career, with his highest salary being $19.4 million with the New York Mets for the 2009-2010 season. His totalnet worth is $80 million.
14. Barry Bonds Net Worth – $80 million
Barry Bonds has played for the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates. As of 2007, Bonds is retired after an impressive career in MLB. He set a number of records during his career, including, most home runs, walks and intentional walks. He was a left field player for 22 seasons after spending time showing his baseball skills to Arizona State University. Bonds received the National League Most Valuable Player Award seven separate times, four of which were consecutive years. He has been regarded as one of the greatest players in the MLB and has a net worth of $80 million to show it.
13. Ken Griffey, Jr. Net Worth – $85 Million
Ken Griffey, Jr. has earned his $85 million net worth through his MLB career with the Seattle Mariners, the Chicago White Sox, the Cincinnati Reds, as well as his personal sneaker line he developed with Nike, starring in video games, as well as appearances on TV shows. Griffey was with the Cincinnati Reds when they won back-to-back championships and has been voted American League MVP back in 1997.Griffey was the#1pick in the 1987 draft, for theSeattle Mariners, which he played with from 1989-1999. He was with the Redsfrom 2000-2008before moving to the Chicago White Sox for one season, then transitioned back to the Mariners for his final season of his career. When Griffey finished his time withMLB, he had a 630 home run record and is tied for the number of consecutive games witha home run. Griffey also finished his career with a net worth of $85 million and is one of the richest MLB players.
12. Mariano Rivera Net Worth – $90 Million
Mariano Rivera was a right-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees. He ha been a pro-ball player for 17 years before he retired. Rivera is a 12-time winner of the All-Star and five-time World Series Champion, but he didn’t always play baseball. Until he was 19, Rivera worked in the fishing business with his father, on his boat. After having to escape a capsized boat, he opted to leave fishing behind and was first signed on with the New York Yankees in 1990 by an amateur, free agent, then later made his debut in 1995. He is best known for his all-time lead for saves, 603, to be exact, and finished the MLB with 883 finished games. Rivera left the MLB with a $90 million net worth.
11. Gary Sheffield Net Worth – $95 million
Born in Tampa, Florida in 1968, Gary Sheffield has played pro baseball as a third baseman and an outfielder in MLB since 1988. He started with the Milwaukee Brewers and today, he is currently asports agent since his retirement. His game began in high school, playing on the varsity team at Hillsborough High.After playing with the Brewers, Sheffield moved on to play with the San Diego Padres from 1992 to 1993, then the Florida Marlins from 1993 to 1998. He has also spent some timeplaying withthe Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves, the New York Yankees, the Detroit Tigers, and the New York Mets. He is a nine-time All-Star winner and World Series champ from his time with the Marlins. He has also received the Silver Slugger Award five times and the NL batting title. His net worth is $90 million from his career achievements and high salary, making him a definiteon the list of richest MLB players.
10. Joe Mauer Net Worth – $100 million
Joe Mauer is one talented catcher, and he has the net worth to prove it.He was born in 1983 and began showing off his talent for baseball while a student at the Cretin-Derham Hall High School, where he played for three different sports; baseball, football, and basketball. However,it was baseball that he loved and excelled at. After tie playing in high school, he became a part of the USA Junior National Team and had an incredible batting average of .522 during his last year there.Some of hisaccomplishments include being named best hitter at the baseball world tournament in Panama,being voted Minnesota District V Player of the Year in baseball, and winning the Golden Globe Award for three consecutive yeas (2008-2011).On April 5, 2004, Mauer officially hit the big leagues when he joined the Minnesota Twins and has only excelled to create a very successful baseball career since. He earns a cool annual salary of $28 million, annually and has a net worth of $80 million, which makes Mauerone of the richestMLB players ever.
9. Manny Ramirez Net Worth – $110 Million
Manny Ramirez was born in the Dominican Republic and is considered as one of the best offensive MLB players of his generation. Starting at a young age, Ramirez was good at baseball and was the 15th pick by theCleveland Indians. He started in the minor leagues before moving up to the Majors and once he did, his career boomed. He is a Silver Slugger Awards winner, 9 times. He is alsoone of only 25 players to hit more than 500hundred home runs during his career, which include 21 grand-slams. He is currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and currently has a net worth of $110 million.
8. Joey Votto Net Worth – $110 million
Joey Votto began his career when he was drafted out of high school to the Cincinnati Reds during the 2002 MLB amateur draft. He played for the Class A Dayton Dragons in 2004, as well as for Potomac, Chattanooga, and Sarasota. In 2007 when he was called to play for the Reds, his MLB career began. Over the years, Votto has been chosen as an All-Star for four consecutive seasons and was the National League On-Base Percentage leader. He has been named National League MVP for 2010 season and won the NL Hank Aaron award as well. His entire career has been with the Reds, and so far, he has accumulated a net worth of $110 million.
7. Chipper Jones Net Worth – $110 million
Chipper Jones has retired from the MLB, but his professional career was a smashing one. He was born, Larry Wayne Jones, Jr.,in 1972 and acquired the nickname “Chipper” for being a “chip off the old block.” He’s been playing baseball since he was seven years old and followed his love of the game into high school, where he played starting pitcher and shortstop and won a state double-A championship. He was the #1 pick by the Atlanta Braves in 1990 and was called to the majors in 1993.When he moved to the majors, he was the youngest player in the league. Heholds a title with theBraves,and it is, the most RBIs for a third baseman. He had a 19 year careerbefore he retired. When he did, he had his #10 retired as well. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013 and hasa net worth of $110 million.
6. Randy Johnson Net Worth – $115 million
Now retired, Randy Johnson earned over $175 million in salaries while playing with the MLBleague. He is known as ‘Big Unit,’ and was one of the most well-known pitchers in the history of baseball. Johnson was well into baseball by the time he got to high school, and went on to college at the University of Southern California where his skill on the pitcher’s mound got him noticed. He was chosen for Montreal Expos in 1985 and just three years later, he was in the MLB with his debut.He wasthe only left-hand pitcher who struck Legend Wade Boggs out three times in one game. All through his career, Johnson made record-breaking news and in 1994, he won the American League Cy Young Award. In 2004, Johnson made a move to the New York Yankees, however, his career with them was not as prominent, due to a back injury he sustained. The injury caused him to miss the last half of the season in ’06. He played baseball until 2010, when he announced he was retiring. When Johnson left the MLB, his net worth was $115 million, a figure at the top of the richest MLB players, list.
5. Miguel Cabrera Net Worth – $125 Million
Miguel Cabrera has had a big career inMLB with ups and downs. His breakthroughwith the game was in 2000 when he played shortstop in the Gulf Coast League, but his big breakthrough didn’t happen until a bit later, when he was 20 years old in 2003. Since his career began, Carbrera has played left field, right field, and first base. He has spent time on the Detroit Tigers team, which started in 2008, and with a $152.3 million contract. He was a seven-time All-Star winner and scored at least 303 home runs during 8 seasons. He also finished his career with a batting average of .321 and an AL MVP award, a Triple Crown and led the American League with his batting average, number of home runs, and an RBI of 139. He could have accomplished more, but a drinking problem got in his way. He finished his career with a net worth of $110 million and is #9 in the list of the richest MLB players of all time.
4. Albert Pujols Net Worth – $170 Million
Albert Pujols was born in the Dominican Republic and is considered to be the most consistently highest performing MLB players in the MLB league from the beginning of his career began with the Cardinals in 2001. Pujols has been selected for All-Star nine times during his career and three times, he was namedNational League MVP. Pujols reached his top salary while playing with the Cardinals, at $14.5 million, however, today, he is earning $26 million with the Angels. He also receives $7 million in endorsements. He has a net worth, today,of $110 million.
3. Ichiro Suzuki Net Worth – $180 million
Ichiro Suzuki is a Japanese baseball player who was born in Kasugai, Aichi, Japan. He started playing the sport at 7 years old and started on the Japan’s Pacific League at 18. He was known for his strange swing at first, and tried to work it out and by 1994, he was signed on with the Blue Wave. It wasn’t long before he would record 200 hits in just one season in the Japanese world of baseball, then he went on tp win three MVPs three years in a row. It was November of 2000 that he signed on with the Mariners and moved to the US to play. He is a Silver Slugger Award, and Gold GloveAwardwinner. He stayed on with the Mariners until 2012 before moving over to the Yankees and now, he is in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Suzuki has done very well in his career and now, he is worth $120 million.
2. Derek Jeter Net Worth – $185 million
Derek Jeter was born in New Jersey and it was common for him to go to New York Yankee games during the summer. He joined the minor leagues right after high school graduation and in 1996, he started as shortstop for the Yankees on opening day. He has won bothRookie of the Year and the World Series and went on to play onYankee teams that took home the Series win in 1196, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009.He has made All-Star 13 times in his career and holds the Yankee record for the most hits, which surpassed Lou Gehrig’s record in 2009. He has had huge success and that coupled with his clean cut image has gotten him mega-endorsements. His salary coupled with all of his endorsement deals has given him a net worth of $185 million.
1. Alex Rodriguez Net Worth – $350 million
Alex Rodriguez is one of the highest paid athletes of any sport. He has earned more than $325 million in just his salary alone, throughout his career. He plays for the New York Yankees and is their third baseman. He has also played shortstop for the Texas Rangers as well as the Seattle Mariners. When he wasa kid, Rodriguez’s dad got him a rubber ball and bat. Rodriguez practiced every time he could and soon he was hooked. He was drafted by the Mariners before he even graduated high school and headed to spring training in 1994. He broke several records while playing on the team, but eventually headed over to the Rangers and began to set some of his own personal records. After the Rangers, Rodriguez took a spot on the Yankees’ team and is still there today, although he went through a suspension period, for 214 games, due to allegedly using drugs to increase his performance. He was supposed to restart the beginning of ’15. His net worth is an incredible, $300 million and he is therichest MLB player in the sport’s history.
FAQs
Who is the richest MLB player of all time? ›
That wasn't even the biggest contract A-Rod signed in his career, however, as the all-time great agreed to a 10-year, $275 million pact with the Yankees in 2008. It should come as no surprise that those mega-deals made A-Rod the highest-paid player in baseball history.
Who is the richest pitcher? ›- Max Scherzer contract: 3 years, $130 million.
- Max Scherzer salary: $43.33 million.
- Max Scherzer career earnings: $183 million.
| Rank | Name | Sport |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Boxing |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | Association football |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Association football |
| 4 | Conor McGregor | Mixed martial arts |
In today's dollars, Ruth would have been getting paid about $226,655 when the infamous trade happened. He was traded for $125,000, which roughly translates to just over $1.6 million dollars today. At his highest salary in 1931, he was making $80,000.
Who's the richest baseball team? ›Value: $5 Billion
The New York Yankees are the richest MLB team in the world.
Basketball is the most lucrative sport globally, which is not surprising. The finest basketball players in the NBA not only make millions of dollars in payments each year, but they also receive more endorsements and sponsorship money than any other athlete in any other sport.
Who is the richest retired MLB player? ›| Rank | Name | Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Rodriguez | $300 Million |
| 2 | Derek Jeter | $185 Million |
| 3 | CC Sabathia | $155 Million |
| 4 | Albert Pujols | $140 Million |
The minimum salary is $400 weekly at rookie level, $500 at Class A, $600 at Double-A and $700 at Triple-A.
How much can Aaron judge get in free agency? ›According to Jon Heyman of the NY Post, he countered with an offer at nine or 10 years at $36 million AAV for up to $360 million. That was before he went on this 2022 tear; his value has gone up further still. If there is one downside to Judge's free agent contract it's his age: he will be 31 in April of 2023.
Who is the highest paid athlete 2022? ›
- Lionel Messi. Soccer. $130M. $75M. $55M.
- LeBron James. Basketball. $121.2M. $41.2M. $80M.
- Cristiano Ronaldo. Soccer. $115M. $60M. $55M.
- Neymar. Soccer. $95M. $70M. $25M.
- Stephen Curry. Basketball. $92.8M. $45.8M. ...
- Kevin Durant. Basketball. $92.1M. $42.1M. ...
- Roger Federer. Tennis. $90.7M. $700K. ...
- Canelo Alvarez. Boxing. $90M. $85M.
| MLB Player | Team | Annual earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Kopech | Chicago White Sox | $570,500 |
| Trevor Stephan | Cleveland | $570,500 |
| Ben Bowden | Colorado | $570,500 |
| Akil Baddoo | Detroit | $570,500 |
1. Mike Trout. The number 1 top baseball player right now in MLB is a nine-time MLB All-Star Mike Trout. He is the baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels and was drafted by the team in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft.
Who are the 3 Billionaire athletes? ›Tiger Woods has officially joined LeBron James and Michael Jordan as one of only three billionaire athletes in the world.
Who is the first billionaire athlete? ›MICHAEL SCHUMACHER - first billionaire athlete / greatest racer ever / first sports billionaire.
Who is the richest NFL player? ›Net Worth: $600 Million
He also led the Cowboys to victories in Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII. Staubach was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VI. What is this? As of November 2022, Roger Staubach's net worth is $600 million, making him the richest NFL player in the world.
| Net Worth: | $6 Million |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth: | Jan 31, 1919 - Oct 24, 1972 (53 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.8 m) |
| Profession: | Baseball player, Athlete |
On Nov. 19, 1979, Ryan may have been able to buy his own private jet after the Astros signed him to a four-year, $4.5 million free agent contract. As a sign of changing times, the deal made Ryan the highest-paid player in baseball history and owner of the game's first million-dollar-a-year contract.
Who was the first baseball player to make $100 000 a year? ›Richest Athletes From Every Decade
The 25 Highest-Paid Athletes Of All Time
The Top 20 Highest Paid Athletes in the World
Who is richest NFL player? ›
Staubach was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VI. What is this? As of November 2022, Roger Staubach's net worth is $600 million, making him the richest NFL player in the world.
Who is the richest NFL player of all time? ›...
1. Buccaneers QB Tom Brady: $302,962,392
- Career: 2000-present.
- NFL seasons: 22.
- Click here to read Boardroom's breakdown of Tom Brady's current contract.
What is Sammy Sosa's net worth? Sammy Sosa is a Dominican retired professional baseball right fielder who has a net worth of $70 million.
Who is the richest basketball player? ›Michael Jordan - $1.5 billion
The majority of his wealth currently comes from endorsement deals with his primary sponsor, 'Nike.' Michael Jordan is widely considered the best NBA player of all time. Michael Jordan's net worth is projected to be $1.5 billion, making him the world's wealthiest basketball player.
The Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes had the highest average salary entering the 2022 offseason at $45 million per year, but he has since been overtaken by four quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson.
Who is the richest rapper in the world? ›Jay-Z was the first rapper to cross the billion-dollar net worth mark, and he was the richest rapper in the world up until April 2020, when Kanye took the #1 spot. As of November 2022, Jay-Z's net worth is roughly $1.3 billion. What is this?
Who is the wealthiest retired NFL player? ›Roger Staubach has a net worth of $600 million as of 2022, making him the wealthiest NFL player on the planet. Staubach is also the richest NFL player after retirement.
What is the average salary of a NFL Waterboy? ›Former NFL player Jake Thieneman claimed in a TikTok clip that an average NFL water boy makes around $53.000, noting that the actual figure depends on the team's status and the applicant's experience.
How rich is Brady? ›Tom Brady net worth in 2022: $400 million. Tom Brady's net worth is a whopping $250 million. That number was due to grow after signing an insanely massive deal with Fox Sports to be a broadcaster following retirement, but Brady returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season.
What sport makes the most money? ›Basketball is the most lucrative sport globally, which is not surprising. The finest basketball players in the NBA not only make millions of dollars in payments each year, but they also receive more endorsements and sponsorship money than any other athlete in any other sport.
What is the highest paid sport in America? ›
Lovers of the National Football League (NFL) will have something to smile about as American Football earns its rightful place on the list of highest paid sports in 2022. Considering the demanding nature of this sport, many will consider it as befitting that the salaries of these players keep growing.
Where is Mark McGwire net worth? ›| Net Worth: | $60 Million |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth: | Oct 1, 1963 (59 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Profession: | Baseball player, Coach |
Barry Bonds' Net Worth in 2022 (Estimate): $100 million.
What is Chief Keef worth? ›He released his debut album in 2012 and achieved instant success with singles including 'I Don't Like' and 'Love Sosa. ' As of November 2022, Chief Keef's net worth is estimated to be $1 Million.
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