Ohtani the highest-paid player in baseball: how much does he earn?

Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese pitcher and designated hitter who plays for MLB franchise the Los Angeles Angels, is baseball’s highest-paid star. He will earn around $65 million in 2023, according to the prestigious finance magazine Forbes.

Ohtani has only been in MLB for five years, but has already been named American League MVP and Rookie of the Year, won the Silver Slugger Award as the AL’s best designated hitter, and received two All-Star call-ups. He has amassed 127 home runs, 342 RBIs and 66 stolen bases.

At international level, meanwhile, he was was last week named MVP at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, having helped Japan to their third global title.

Ohtani earnings a near even split between salary and endorsements

Just under half of Ohtani’s $65m earnings comes from the $30m one-year contract extension he signed with the Angels in October. The 28-year-old would have been a free agent in the winter, but the franchise negotiated the renewal of his deal to avoid salary arbitration. He’ll pocket the other $35m from endorsements - a sum that outstrips any other player’s off-the-field income in MLB. Indeed, the next-highest total earned from sponsorships is the $6.5m netted by Bryan Harper in 2022.

Ohtani leads a list of MLB earners whose top 10 are due to bank $436m between them in 2023. In 2022, this total was $377m. Per Forbes, baseball’s highest-paid players also include the New York Mets pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander ($59.3m and $43.3m, respectively), and the New York Yankees batter Aaron Judge ($44.5m).

What endorsements does Ohtani have?

Ohtani is a billboard star on both sides of the Pacific. Among his endorsements in Japan, he is the face of Kowa, Seiko Watches and Hugo Boss, while his US sponsorships include Fanatics and Topps. He also has a long-term partnership with footwear and apparel suppliers New Balance. On Thursday, he and the Angels are set to get their 2023 MLB season underway with a road game against the Oakland Athletics.

Forbes’ top 10 earners in baseball:

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