Top 10 Highest Paid MLB Players

When the World Series has a new champion, teams look forward to the next season. Most franchises in the MLB will look to secure their best players with new deals or make trades for other top players.

In baseball, players sign new contracts all the time. Take Carlos Correa for example. He signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Twins in 2022 and then signed a six-year deal a year later. Now Correa is the tenth-highest-paid player in the MLB.

However, there are lots of factors that contribute to a player's salary. The base salary is a good indication, but there are signing bonuses and other factors to consider. MLB players can have vesting options and other bonuses based on performance. 

To give you as accurate a list as possible, we are looking at the adjusted salaries of the players in the big league this year. Below are the ten players on the largest salary this season.

10. Giancarlo Stanton

The tenth position in this year’s list of top earners in the MLB this season goes to Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton is a right fielder for the New York Yankees. He signed a 13-year contract with Miami in 2014, a deal that is worth $325 million. In 2017, the Marlins traded Stanton plus $30 million for three other players. His current contract expires in 2029, but there is a club option with a $10 million buyout. Stanton will make $32 million in 2023 and will continue to do so until 2025.

• Position: Right Field
• Age: 33
• Base Salary: $32,000,000
• Signing Bonus: $0
• Adjusted Salary: $32,000,000
• Contract Length: 13 years
• Contract Value: $325,000,000

9. Carlos Correa

Carlos Correa is a shortstop for the Minnesota Twins. In January 2023. Correa signed a six-year contract with the Twins with four vesting years. If he does not meet the performance criteria, his contract will expire in 2029. Otherwise, Correa will be an unrestricted free agent in 2033. His adjusted salary is $33 million, including a $1.3 million yearly signing bonus.

• Position: Shortstop
• Age: 29
• Base Salary: $32,000,000
• Signing Bonus: $1,333,333
• Adjusted Salary: $33,333,333
• Contract Length: 3 years
• Contract Value: $105,300,000

8. Francisco Lindor

The eighth highest-paid MLB player this season is Francisco Lindor. The shortstop for the New York Mets signed a contract in 2021 worth $341 million. His ten-year deal means he will be a free agent in 2032, and it does not include any club or player options. Lindor’s deal includes a base salary of $32 million from 2022 until 2031. The contract also includes a $2.1 million signing bonus every season worth over $20 million in total.

• Position: Shortstop
• Age: 29
• Base Salary: $32,000,000
• Signing Bonus: $2,100,000
  
• Adjusted Salary: $34,400,000
  
• Contract Length: 10 years
• Contract Value: $341,000,000

7. Corey Seager

Seventh on our list is Corey Seager, the shortstop for the Texas Rangers. He signed a ten-year deal in 2021 worth $325 million. Seager’s contract includes a yearly singing bonus of 500k, resulting in an adjusted salary of $35.5 million. His deal does not have any performance-related bonuses or vesting options. This season will be the highest base salary of his career, as it will drop to $31 million a year in 2026.

• Position: Shortstop
• Age: 29
• Base Salary: $35,000,000
• Signing Bonus: $500,000
• Adjusted Salary: $35,500,000
• Contract Length: 10 years
• Contract Value: $325,000,000

6. Gerrit Cole

Gerrit Cole is the starting pitcher for the New York Yankees. He signed a nine-year contract worth $324 million in 2019. Cole’s contract does not include a signing bonus, but he will receive a base salary of $36 million a year. His deal lasts until 2029 when he will become an unrestricted free agent. There is a player opt-out in 2024. This will allow Cole to sign a new contract, become a free agent, or stay with the Yankees.

• Position: Starting Pitcher
• Age: 33
• Base Salary: $36,000,000
• Signing Bonus: $0
• Adjusted Salary: $36,000,000
• Contract Length: 9 years
• Contract Value: $324,000,000

5. Mike Trout

Mike Trout is one of the most popular ball players in the league. He is also the fifth highest-paid player this season. The center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels signed a 12-year contract extension worth $426.5 million in 2019. The contract has a base salary of $35.45 million and a signing bonus worth $1.6 million a year. There are no opt-outs or vesting interests in the contract that expires in 2031.

• Position: Center Field
• Age: 32
• Base Salary: $35,450,000
• Signing Bonus: $1,66,667
• Adjusted Salary: $37,116,666
• Contract Length: 12 years
• Contract Value: $426,500,000

4. Anthony Rendon

The fourth-highest-paid MLB player in the league this season is Anthony Rendon. The third baseman signed a seven-year contract in 2019 worth $245 million. Since then, he has been suspended for nine games and fined nearly $2 million. His base salary is $38 million this year, not including a $571,428 yearly signing bonus.

• Position: Third Base
• Age: 33
• Base Salary: $38,000,000
• Signing Bonus: $571,428
• Adjusted Salary: $38,571,428
• Contract Length: 7 years
• Contract Value: $245,000,000

3. Aaron Judge

The third top earner in the MLB this season is Aaron Judge. The center fielder for the Yankees signed a nine-year contract in 2022. Judge's contract is another that forgoes a signing bonus, but it includes a base salary of $40 million a season. The nine-year deal is worth $360 million and has a full no-trade clause. Unless he signs an extension, Judge will become an unrestricted free agent in 2032.

• Position: Center Field
• Age: 31
• Base Salary: $40,000,000
• Signing Bonus: $0
• Adjusted Salary: $40,000,000
• Contract Length: 9 years
• Contract Value: $360,000,000

2. Justin Verlander

The second highest-earning player this season was Justin Verlander. The 40-year-old starting pitcher signed a deal with the Mets in 2022. His two-year deal is worth $86.6 million and includes a vesting option for 2025. However, in August 2023, the Mets traded Verlander to the Houston Astros. No matter what, he is taking home $44.3 million when the season ends.

• Position: Starting Pitcher
• Age: 40
• Base Salary: $43,333,333
• Signing Bonus: $0
• Adjusted Salary: $43,333,333
• Contract Length: 2 years
• Contract Value: $86,666,666

1. Max Scherzer

The highest-paid MLB star this season is Max Scherzer. The starting pitcher signed a three-year deal in 2021 worth $130 million with the New York Mets. In July 2023, the Mets traded Scherzer to the Texas Rangers, and he exercised the player option in his contract. That means this year and next season he will make $44.3 million.

• Position: Starting Pitcher
• Age: 39
• Base Salary: $43,333,333
• Signing Bonus: $0
• Adjusted Salary: $43,333,333
• Contract Length: 3 years
• Contract Value: $130,000,000

Conclusion

The highest-paid MLB players this season are Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer if you look at the adjusted salary. If you want to know which players in the MLB have the largest base salaries, they are:

• Giancarlo Stanton - $32,000,000
• Francisco Lindor - $32,000,000
• Carlos Correa - $32,000,000
• Miguel Cabera - $32,000,000
• Corey Seager - $35,000,000
• Nolan Arenado - $35,000,000
• Stephen Strasburg - $35,000,000
• Mike Trout - $35,450,000
• Gerrit Cole - $36,000,000
• Anthony Rendon - $38,000,000
• Aaron Judge - $40,000,000
• Max Scherzer - $43,333,333
• Justin Verlander - $43,333,333