List of highest paid Major League Baseball players

The highest paid player in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2011 season is New York Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez with an annual salary of $32,000,000, nearly $6 million higher than the second-highest paid player, Vernon Wells. Unlike other American professional sports leagues, MLB does not have a hard salary cap, instead employing a luxury tax which applies to teams whose total payroll exceeds certain set thresholds for a given season.^[1][2] Free agency did not exist in MLB prior to the end of the reserve clause in the 1970s, resulting in significantly lower salaries before that time. For example Babe Ruth, widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players ever, earned an estimated $910,696 ($14,575,568 inflation-adjusted from 1935 dollars) over his entire playing career.^[3] When asked in 1929 whether he thought he should earn more than the president, Herbert Hoover, Ruth famously remarked, "Why not, I had a better year than he did."^[4][5]

Rodriguez has signed two record-breaking contracts over the course of his career. First, he signed a $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers in December 2000 ($321,375,727 inflation-adjusted from 2000 dollars).^[6] Sandy Alderson called the deal "stupefying," while Sports Illustrated noted that Rodriguez's early salaries under the contract ($21 million) would be greater than the annual payroll of the entire Minnesota Twins team that year ($15.8 million).^[6] The deal was the largest sports contract in history, doubling the total value of Kevin Garnett's $126 million National Basketball Association contract (the previous record holder) and more than doubling Mike Hampton's $121 million contract, the previous MLB record which had been signed just days before.^[6] The Rangers later traded Rodriguez to the Yankees in exchange for Alfonso Soriano before the 2004 season, though they agreed to pay $67 million of the $179 million outstanding on the contract.^[7] Despite this, he opted out of the remainder of his deal after the 2007 season and renegotiated a new $275 million, 10-year agreement with the Yankees, breaking his own record for the largest sports contract.^[8] Under this deal, Rodriguez also receives $6 million each if and when he ties the career home run totals of Willie Mays (660), Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755), and Barry Bonds (762), along with another $6 million for breaking Bonds' mark.^[8]

First base was the highest paid position in 2010; regular starters at that position earned an average salary of $9,504,165 in compared to an overall average of $3,014,572.^[9] Pitcher Nolan Ryan was the first player to earn an annual salary above $1 million, signing a $4.5 million, 4-year contract with the Houston Astros in 1979.^[10] Kirby Puckett and Rickey Henderson signed the first contracts which paid an average of $3 million a year in November 1989, while 2010 was the first season where the MLB average salary rose above that same mark.^[9][11] Four of the twenty highest paid players in 2011 were members of the Yankees. Their team payroll for 2011 was $202,689,028, roughly $30 million above the second-largest Philadelphia Phillies.^[12] The Yankees have drawn criticism for their spending habits, with some claiming it undermines the parity of MLB.^[13][14]

Contents 1 Highest paid players for 2011 2 Career earnings 3 Salary progression 4 Footnotes 5 References

Key

	Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
1B	First baseman
2B	Second baseman
3B	Third baseman
SS	Shortstop
LF	Left fielder
CF	Center fielder
RF	Right fielder
C	Catcher
SP	Starting pitcher
RP	Relief pitcher
DH	Designated hitter

Highest paid players for 2011

This table refers to the salary for 2011 alone, not the overall average value of the contract. Salaries listed are according to the USA Today salary database.^[15]

Name	Position	Team(s)	Salary	Ref
Rodriguez, AlexAlex Rodriguez	3B	New York Yankees	$32,000,000	[16]
Wells, VernonVernon Wells	OF	Los Angeles Angels	$26,187,500	[17]
Sabathia, CCCC Sabathia	SP	New York Yankees	$24,285,714	[18]
Teixeira, MarkMark Teixeira	1B	New York Yankees	$23,125,000	[19]
Mauer, JoeJoe Mauer	C	Minnesota Twins	$23,000,000	[20]
Santana, JohanJohan Santana	SP	New York Mets	$21,644,707	[21]
Helton, ToddTodd Helton	1B	Colorado Rockies	$20,275,000	[22]
Cabrera, MiguelMiguel Cabrera	1B	Detroit Tigers	$20,000,000	[23]
Halladay, RoyRoy Halladay	SP	Philadelphia Phillies	$20,000,000	[24]
Howard, RyanRyan Howard	1B	Philadelphia Phillies	$20,000,000	[25]
Beltran, CarlosCarlos Beltran	RF	New York Mets	$19,325,436	[26]
Lee, CarlosCarlos Lee	LF	Houston Astros	$19,000,000	[27]
Soriano, AlfonsoAlfonso Soriano	LF	Chicago Cubs	$19,000,000	[28]
Zambrano, CarlosCarlos Zambrano	SP	Chicago Cubs	$18,875,000	[29]
Hunter, ToriiTorii Hunter	RF	Los Angeles Angels	$18,500,000	[30]
Zito, BarryBarry Zito	SP	San Francisco Giants	$18,500,000	[31]
Bay, JasonJason Bay	OF	New York Mets	$18,125,000	[32]
Suzuki, IchiroIchiro Suzuki	RF	Seattle Mariners	$18,000,000	[33]
Beckett, JoshJosh Beckett	SP	Boston Red Sox	$17,000,000	[34]
Burnett, A.J.A.J. Burnett	SP	New York Yankees	$16,500,000	[35]

Career earnings

Earnings up to date as of the end of the 2011 season.^[E]

Name	Team(s)	Position	Years	Earnings	Ref
Rodriguez, AlexAlex Rodriguez	Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers New York Yankees	SS, 3B	1994–	$296,416,252	[16]
Jeter, DerekDerek Jeter	New York Yankees	SS	1995–	$220,159,364	[36]
Ramirez, MannyManny Ramirez	Cleveland Indians Boston Red Sox Los Angeles Dodgers Chicago White Sox Tampa Bay Rays	LF	1993–2011	$204,807,069	[37]
Bonds, BarryBarry Bonds	Pittsburgh Pirates San Francisco Giants	LF	1986–2007	$188,245,322	[38]
Johnson, RandyRandy Johnson	Montreal Expos Seattle Mariners Houston Astros Arizona Diamondbacks New York Yankees San Francisco Giants	SP	1988–2009	$175,550,019	[39]
Sheffield, GaryGary Sheffield	Milwaukee Brewers San Diego Padres Florida Marlins Los Angeles Dodgers Atlanta Braves New York Yankees Detroit Tigers New York Mets	RF	1988–2009	$168,008,550	[40]
Jones, ChipperChipper Jones	Atlanta Braves	3B	1993–	$155,552,133	[41]
Maddux, GregGreg Maddux	Chicago Cubs Atlanta Braves Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres	SP	1986–2008	$153,845,000	[42]
Griffey, Jr., KenKen Griffey, Jr.	Seattle Mariners Cincinnati Reds Chicago White Sox	CF	1988–2010	$151,703,682	[43]
Helton, ToddTodd Helton	Colorado Rockies	1B	1998–	$151,590,000	[22]
Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens	Boston Red Sox Toronto Blue Jays New York Yankees Houston Astros	SP	1984–2007	$150,601,000	[44]
Delgado, CarlosCarlos Delgado	Toronto Blue Jays Florida Marlins New York Mets	1B	1993–	$146,299,000	[45]
Martínez, PedroPedro Martínez	Los Angeles Dodgers Montreal Expos Boston Red Sox New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies	SP	1992–2010	$146,259,585	[46]
Mussina, MikeMike Mussina	Baltimore Orioles New York Yankees	SP	1991–2008	$144,533,619	[47]
Rivera, MarianoMariano Rivera	New York Yankees	RP	1995–	$144,441,825	[48]
Thome, JimJim Thome	Cleveland Indians Philadelphia Phillies Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Dodgers Minnesota Twins	1B, DH	1991–	$141,461,667	[49]
Smoltz, JohnJohn Smoltz	Atlanta Braves Boston Red Sox St. Louis Cardinals	SP, RP	1988–2009	$135,595,446	[50]
Beltran, CarlosCarlos Beltran	Kansas City Royals Houston Astros New York Mets San Francisco Giants	CF, RF	1998-	$134,952,782	[26]
Ordonez, MagglioMagglio Ordonez	Chicago White Sox Detroit Tigers	RF	1997–	$133,470,746	[51]
Giambi, JasonJason Giambi	Oakland Athletics New York Yankees Colorado Rockies	1B, DH	1995–	$131,808,996	[52]

Salary progression

This list documents the progression of the highest average annual value contracts/contract extensions.^[53][P]

Average annual salary	Date signed	Name	Team	Position	Contract duration (Years)	Ref(s)
$01170000 !1,170,000	01 !November 19, 1979	Ryan, NolanNolan Ryan	Houston Astros	SP	03 !3	[10][54]
$02500000 !2,500,000[a]	02 !December 15, 1980	Winfield, DaveDave Winfield	New York Yankees	RF	10	[55][56]
$02600000 !2,600,000	03 !September 4, 1985	Murray, EddieEddie Murray	Baltimore Orioles	1B	05 !5	[57][58]
$02633333 !2,633,333[b]	03.1 !February 16, 1989	Hershiser, OrelOrel Hershiser	Los Angeles Dodgers	SP	03 !3	[59][60]
$02970000 !2,970,000	04 !November 17, 1989	Saberhagen, BretBret Saberhagen	Kansas City Royals	SP	03 !3	[61][62]
$03000000 !3,000,000[c]	05 !November 22, 1989	Puckett, KirbyKirby Puckett	Minnesota Twins	CF	03 !3	[63][64]
$03200000 !3,200,000	06 !December 1, 1989	Langston, MarkMark Langston	California Angels	SP	05 !5	[65][66]
$03250000 !3,250,000	07 !December 11, 1989	Davis, MarkMark Davis	Kansas City Royals	SP	04 !4	[67][68]
$03500000 !3,500,000	08 !January 17, 1990	Stewart, DaveDave Stewart	Oakland Athletics	SP	02 !2	[69][70]
$03750000 !3,750,000	09 !January 22, 1990	Clark, WillWill Clark	San Francisco Giants	1B	04 !4	[71][72]
$03860000 !3,860,000	10 !April 9, 1990	Mattingly, DonDon Mattingly	New York Yankees	1B	05 !5	[73][74]
$04700000 !4,700,000	11 !June 28, 1990	Canseco, JoseJose Canseco	Oakland Athletics	RF/DH	05 !5	[75][76]
$05380000 !5,380,000	12 !February 2, 1991	Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens	Boston Red Sox	SP	04 !4	[44][77]
$05800000 !5,800,000	13 !December 2, 1991	Bonilla, BobbyBobby Bonilla	New York Mets	3B/RF	05 !5	[78][79]
$07100000 !7,100,000	14 !March 2, 1992	Sandberg, RyneRyne Sandberg	Chicago Cubs	2B	04 !4	[80][81]
$07290000 !7,290,000	15 !December 6, 1992	Bonds, BarryBarry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	LF	06 !6	[38][82]
$08500000 !8,500,000	16 !January 31, 1996	Griffey, Jr., KenKen Griffey, Jr.	Seattle Mariners	CF	04 !4	[43][83]
$11000000 !11,000,000	17 !November 19, 1996	Belle, AlbertAlbert Belle	Chicago White Sox	LF	05 !5	[84][85]
$11450000 !11,450,000	18 !March 20, 1997	Bonds, BarryBarry Bonds	San Francisco Giants	LF	02 !2	[38][86]
$11500000 !11,500,000	19 !August 10, 1997	Maddux, GregGreg Maddux	Atlanta Braves	SP	05 !5	[42][87]
$12500000 !12,500,000	20 !December 10, 1997	Martínez, PedroPedro Martínez	Boston Red Sox	SP	06 !6	[46][88]
$13000000 !13,000,000	21 !October 26, 1998	Piazza, MikeMike Piazza	New York Mets	C	07 !7	[89][90]
$13333333 !13,333,333	22 !November 25, 1998	Vaughn, MoMo Vaughn	Anaheim Angels	1B	06 !6	[91][92]
$15000000 !15,000,000	23 !December 12, 1998	Brown, KevinKevin Brown	Los Angeles Dodgers	SP	07 !7	[93][94]
$15450000 !15,450,000[d]	24 !August 11, 2000	Clemens, RogerRoger Clemens	New York Yankees	SP	02 !2[d]	[44][95]
$17000000 !17,000,000	25 !October 20, 2000	Delgado, CarlosCarlos Delgado	Toronto Blue Jays	1B	04 !4	[45][96]
$25200000 !25,200,000	26 !December 10, 2000	Rodriguez, AlexAlex Rodriguez	Texas Rangers	SS	10	[6][16]
$27500000 !27,500,000	27 !December 13, 2007	Rodriguez, AlexAlex Rodriguez	New York Yankees	3B	10	[8][16]

Footnotes

• ^E "Earnings" as discussed here refers to salaries paid to players under MLB contracts and does not include advertising or other sources of income. All values are listed in nominal dollars.
• ^P "Average annual value" is calculated as the total value of a contract (less bonuses) divided by the number of years. A $20 million/2 year contract would have an average annual value of $10 million, even if the player actually received $9 million one season and $11 million in the other. This also does not include contracts for less than a season prorated in value for a full season such as Roger Clemens' 2006 and 2007 contracts.^{[97][98][99][100][44]} All values are listed in nominal dollars.
• ^a Dave Winfield initially negotiated a 10-year deal in 1980 worth a projected $25 million ($2.5 million per year).^[56] However, Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner reportedly had not fully understood a cost of living adjustment provision in it and the 10-year contract was renegotiated a few months later. The final precise value is unclear, although it fell between $20 and $25 million in total value ($2–$2.5 million a year).^{[55][101][102][103]}
• ^b Hershiser and Frank Viola both won the 1988 Cy Young Award and Viola signed a identically-sized $7.9 million, 3-year contract two months after Hershiser.^[104]
• ^c Rickey Henderson signed a $12 million, 4-year contract with the Oakland Athletics on November 28, 1989, 6 days after Puckett signed his $9 million, 3-year contract.^[66][105]
• ^d Roger Clemens signed a contract extension during the 2000 season covering 2001 and 2002 along with a player option for 2003. Clemens was paid $10.3 million each year for 2001 and 2002, with the same $10.3 million available if he elected to play in 2003 under his option. However, Clemens also received $10.3 million if he rejected the option. As a result he could effectively collect the full $30.9 million of contract value for only two years of play ($15.45 million annually).^[95] However, the Yankees valued this deal as a $10.3 million annually, three-year deal.^[53] He became a free agent after the 2002 season and ultimately resigned with the Yankees for a new, one-year contract in which they bought out the previous option.^[44][106]

References

Bibliography

Footnotes

AL	East	Central	West
	Baltimore Orioles	Chicago White Sox	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
	Boston Red Sox	Cleveland Indians	Oakland Athletics
	New York Yankees	Detroit Tigers	Seattle Mariners
	Tampa Bay Rays	Kansas City Royals	Texas Rangers
	Toronto Blue Jays	Minnesota Twins
NL	East	Central	West
	Atlanta Braves	Chicago Cubs	Arizona Diamondbacks
	Miami Marlins	Cincinnati Reds	Colorado Rockies
	New York Mets	Houston Astros	Los Angeles Dodgers
	Philadelphia Phillies	Milwaukee Brewers	San Diego Padres
	Washington Nationals	Pittsburgh Pirates	San Francisco Giants
		St. Louis Cardinals
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