MLB
Who are the highest-paid MLB players in 2023? List of salaries by position
Despite having signed big contracts, neither Aaron Judge nor Rafael Devers will be the highest-paid players in Major League Baseball during the 2023 season.
With the 2023 Major League Baseball postseason in its final stage with the Diamondbacks and the Rangers, deciding who will take this year’s World Series, it’s a good time to discuss the transfers of this season. During free agency, many players changed teams or were about to do so, resulting in several contractual surprises that finally impacted the competition.
Free agency
In particular, two cases attracted a lot of attention since the contracts signed by these players positioned them among the most lucrative of all time. The first is Aaron Judge. BAJ signed an incredible extension with the New York Yankees, estimated to last nine years in exchange for 360 million dollars.
Rafael Devers also made history this summer after signing an extension with the Boston Red Sox in an 11-year contract in exchange for $331 million, the highest figure in franchise history.
Top 5 highest-paid per season
Other players occupy the position of highest-paid players in MLB 2023, despite large amounts announced this summer.
The top spot for highest-paid players in baseball is shared by pitchers Max Scherzer of the Texas Rangers and Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros, who both earn $43.3 million per season. Scherzer signed a 3-year contract in 2021 for $130 million, while Verlander signed for 2 years and $86.6 million. Aaron Judge is in third place with a salary of $40 million per season.
Anthony Rendon of the Los Angeles Angels takes fourth place with a salary of $38,571,428. Meanwhile, Jacob deGrom of the Texas Rangers is in fifth place with a five-year contract worth $185 million, which works out to $37 million per season.
Taking sixth place on the list is another Yankee, Gerrit Cole, who earns $36 million per year under his nine-year contract worth $324 million.
In the seventh spot, we have Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, who has been earning $35.4 million annually since 2019. Trout has signed the longest contract in franchise history, spanning 12 years and valued at $426.5 million.
Waiting for Ohtani
All the major players in the MLB have been signed, except for one - Shohei Ohtani. Experts predict that the Japanese player could sign the most expensive contract in the league’s history next summer. Despite already being the highest-paid player in his franchise this year, with both salary and sponsorships considered, it’s yet to be seen which team will secure him in the next free agency, and for how much. The forecast is that Shohei Ohtani may sign a 12-year contract for a staggering $789.7 million.