Boardroom highlights the top 20 most expensive players in Major League Baseball for the upcoming campaign by both total salary and team payroll impact.
Remember when Major League Baseball’s owners locked out the players? It feels like an eternity ago. Since those 99 infernal days of pastime purgatory, teams have spent more than $1 billion on free agent deals and contract extensions.
In fact, if you assumed that the most expensive player in the league for the upcoming season was, say, Bryce Harper or Manny Machado or Gerrit Cole, you’d be wrong. That’s how much new money has been flowing during this impeccably reheated Hot Stove period.
With that in mind, check out Boardroom’s list of the highest-paid MLB players for the 2022 season — both by overall compensation and effective payroll impact.
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Highest-paid MLB Players of 2022 by Total Compensation
All salary figures via Spotrac.
1. Mets SP Max Scherzer: $43,333,333
- Contract: 3 years, $130,000,000
- Average annual value: $43,333,333
- Click here to read Boardroom’s deep dive on Max Scherzer’s Mets contract.
2. Rangers SS Corey Seager: $37,500,000
- Contract: 10 years, $325,000,000
- Average annual value: $32,500,000
t-3. Angels 3B Anthony Rendon: $36,000,000
- Contract: 7 years, $245,000,000
- Average annual value: $35,000,000
t-3. Yankees SP Gerrit Cole: $36,000,000
- Contract: 9 years, $324,000,000
- Average annual value: $36,000,000
5.Angels OF Mike Trout: $35,450,000
- Contract: 12 years, $426,500,000
- Average annual value: $35,541,667
6. Twins SS Carlos Correa: $35,100,000
- Contract: 3 years, $105,300,000
- Average annual value: $35,100,000
t-7. Tigers OF Miguel Cabrera: $32,000,000
- Contract: 8 years, $248,000,000
- Average annual value: $31,000,000
t-7. Dodgers SP Trevor Bauer: $32,000,000
- Contract: 3 years, $102,000,000
- Average annual value: $34,000,000
9. Padres 3B Manny Machado: $30,000,000
- Contract: 10 years, $300,000,000
- Average annual value: $30,000,000
10. Cardinals 3B Nolan Arenado: $29,429,500
- Contract: 8 years, $260,000,000
- Average annual value: $32,500,000
t-11. Blue Jays OF George Springer: $28,000,000
- Contract: 6 years, $150,000,000
- Average annual value: $25,000,000
t-11. Angels OF Justin Upton: $28,000,000
- Contract: 5 years, $106,000,000
- Average annual value: $21,200,000
13. Mets SS Francisco Lindor: $27,000,000
- Contract: 10 years, $341,000,000
- Average annual value: $34,100,000
t-14. Phillies OF Bryce Harper: $26,000,000
- Contract: 13 years, $330,000,000
- Average annual value: $25,384,615
t-14. Astros 2B Jose Altuve: $26,000,000
- Contract: 7 years, $163,500,000
- Average annual value: $23,357,143
t-14. Cardinals 1B Paul Goldschmidt: $26,000,000
- Contract: 5 years, $130,000,000
- Average annual value: $26,000,000
t-14. Phillies SP Zack Wheeler: $26,000,000
- Contract: 5 years, $118,000,000
- Average annual value: $23,600,000
t-18. Astros SP Justin Verlander: $25,000,000
- Contract: 2 years, $50,000,000
- Average annual value: $25,000,000
t-18. Rangers 2B Marcus Semien: $25,000,000
- Contract: 7 years, $175,000,000
- Average annual value: $25,000,000
t-18. Reds 1B Joey Votto: $25,000,000
- Contract: 10 years, $225,000,000
- Average annual value: $22,500,000
t-18. Cubs SP Marcus Stroman: $25,000,000
- Contract: 3 years, $71,000,000
- Average annual value: $23,666,667
Highest-paid MLB Players of 2022 by Payroll Impact
NOTE: List refers to player’s effective hold on team’s 2022 payroll, as noted by Spotrac, rather than the cash he’s due to receive for the season.
1. Mets SP Max Scherzer: $43,333,333
2. Angels OF Mike Trout: $37,116,666
3. Angels 3B Anthony Rendon: $36,571,428
t-4. Yankees SP Gerrit Cole: $36,000,000
t-4. Mets SP Jacob deGrom: $36,000,000
6. Dodgers SP Trevor Bauer: $35,333,333
7. Twins SS Carlos Correa: $35,100,00
Carlos Correa’s deal with the Twins will pay him $35.1 million in each of the three years. No front-loading. He’s got opt-outs after the first and second seasons of the deal. It came together quickly today. And the top free agent of the winter goes to Minnesota in a stunner.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 19, 2022
t-8. Nationals SP Stephen Strasburg: $35,000,000
t-8. Cardinals 3B Nolan Arenado: $35,000,000
10. Mets SS Francisco Lindor: $34,100,000
11. Rangers SS Corey Seager: $33,000,000
t-12. Padres 3B Manny Machado: $32,000,000
t-12. Tigers 1B/DH Miguel Cabrera: $32,000,000
t-12. Dodgers SP David Price: $32,000,000
15. Red Sox SP Chris Sale: $30,000,000
16. Blue Jays OF George Springer: $29,666,666
t-17. Yankees OF Giancarlo Stanton: $29,000,000
t-17. Astros 2B Jose Altuve: $29,000,000
19. Angels OF Justin Upton: $28,000,000
20. Phillies OF Bryce Harper: $27,538,462
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