Let's face it, we are a numbers-driven society. Everything we do is measured, including who gets paid the most to play baseball. We validate professionalism and performance with big dollar, and that's precisely what today's post is all about.

I've been curious about the highest-paid MLB players of all time. Most of us will instantly recognize the highest-paid MLB superstars, many of whom are justified with their outrageously huge salaries and endorsements.

Richest Baseball Player Of All-Time:

  1. Alex Rodriguez

  2. Albert Pujols

  3. Derek Jeter

  4. Ichiro Suzuki

  5. CC Sabathia

  6. Miguel Cabrera

While precise details are always tough to come by, we’ve got some ballpark figures to guide us. The 40 richest players have all earned at least $150 million from their MLB contracts and endorsements.

Scores of baseball players are now earning in excess of $150 million throughout their careers, making this one of the highest paying sports of all time. Ready to place your MLB bet? Come on over to 888sport and make it count!

The richest baseball players of all time are coming up in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

1) Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez is the poster child of the MLB. He is the quintessential baseball superstar, and it makes sense that he is also the wealthiest baseball player of all time at a cool $350 million.

A master blaster with the bat, Rodriguez has put more balls in the stands, or out of the park than most. He also signed 2 outrageously huge MLB deals, earning himself a whopping $450 million in salary payments alone.

He retired in 2016, but his company A-Rod Corporation continues to reel in the dollars. This man is on a mission, and he is a magnet for money - Alex Rodriguez net worth figures are sky high.

2) Albert Pujols

It's tough to pin down a net worth figure to attach to this man's name. Depending on where you source your information, he could be worth anywhere from $140 million – $170 million.

He played for Los Angeles, and has racked up an incredible array of MVP and All-Star awards over the years.

In a relatively short period of time, this Los Angeles Angels player has made a huge name for himself, with massive sponsorships and brand endorsements to his credit.

His 10 year contract with the Los Angeles Angels in 2012 was reportedly worth $240 million, and his salary earnings have exceeded $298 million to date.

3) Derek Jeter

It's only fitting that the legendary Derek Jeter is included in the Top 3 richest baseball players of all time. He played 20 seasons of professional baseball, with his highest single-season salary of $22.6 million.

With 14 All-Star games to his credit, and 5 World Series titles (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009), Jeter is the boss of baseball.

Estimates pit his net worth at around $184 million – $200 million, depending on which sources are consulted. He also held the record for the most hits, eclipsing Lou Gehrig's record in 2009.

What's great about Jeter is that he has maintained a terrific image by being the quintessential sportsman, with no funny business going on behind the scenes.

4) Ichiro Suzuki

It comes as no surprise that another one of the top 10 richest MLB players of all time is a fellow New York Yankee. Ichiro Suzuki comes straight out of Japan, Kasugai, Aichi to be precise.

He got lots of attention when he recorded 200 hits in one season in Japanese baseball, earning himself 3 x MVP awards over 3 years.

Over the years, Suzuki has collected scores of awards, including the Gold Glove Award, and the Silver Slugger Award.

He played with the Seattle Mariners until 2012, and then moved on to the New York Yankees. Ichiro Suzuki net worth is an estimated $120 million – $180 million, putting him in a league of his own.

5) CC Sabathia

In 2015, CC Sabathia raked in a cool $155 million. He played 19 seasons in the MLB, for multiple teams including the Cleveland Indians, the Milwaukee Brewers, and of course the New York Yankees.

This left-handed sports star towered above his opponents at 6'6" tall and a weight of 300 lbs. Over his career, he played over 561 games, with 251 wins and 161 losses, with an ERA of 3.74.

It's clear, that he is one of the most highly decorated MLB players of all time, and his net worth certainly commands respect. Surprisingly, his net worth is on the low side with some ranking sites placing it at $80 million, and others as high as $265 million.

With an annual salary of $25 million, he's certainly up there with the best of them. Back in 2008 when he signed a 7-year contract with the Yankees, he was the MLBs highest-paid pitcher.

He gets plenty of endorsements from private companies like EA Sports, Pepsi, Subway, and the Jordan Brand of Nike.

6) Miguel Cabrera

Miguel Cabrera is certainly a power player in the MLB. With a net worth of $280 million, and 17 seasons with the MLB. This first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder has an impressive career record of 2815 hits, 477 home runs, and hits/at-bats of .315.

He has won 2X MVP awards, and back in 2012 he was the first player since Carl Yastrzemski (1967) to win the Triple Crown in the MLB. In 2008, he inked a $152 million deal over 8 years with the Detroit Tigers.

After that expired in 2016, his salary doubled with a $248 million contract. It's no wonder that he is one of the richest MLB players of all time. Now we're cooking! Check out the richest NBA players of all time - they're not far behind!


I would like to make special mention of 5 other richest MLB players whose pedigrees are unquestionable. I've Listed Their Approximate Net Worth for comparative purposes:

  • Zak Greinke - Houston Astros – Net Worth of $120 Million

  • Randy Johnson – San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners – Net Worth of $115 million

  • Joey Votto – Cincinnati Reds – Net Worth of $110 million with 284 home runs and a BA of .307

  • Joe Mauer – Minnesota Twins – Net Worth of $100 million. He commanded an annual salary of $28 million.

  • Manny Ramirez – Boston Red Sox – Net Worth of $110 million. A Silver Slugger winner 9 times over, he has slammed 555 homers throughout his career, including 21 grand slams. He ended his career with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011.

Get fast MLB facts right here at 888sport. When the bases are loaded, trust us to bring everyone home!


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Steven Senne / AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 4th April 2020

About the Author
By
Brett Chatz

Brett is an internationally published sports journalist, political analyst, and medical fiction author. His commentary is seen in The Star, The Citizen, Tampa Bay Times, The Street, The Sowetan, The Sunday Times, The Sunday Independent, and across hundreds of online and print media platforms. He is the author of β€˜Cricket Chatz’ and the highly-acclaimed, β€˜Serum’. 
 

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