Shohei Ohtani Tops 2025 MLB Salaries with $70M Pact

As we observe the Major League Baseball scene in 2025, it’s interesting to note which players are earning the most on each team. The individual with the most significant paycheck this season belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Specifically, Shohei Ohtani seizes the spot, raking in a whopping $70 million as his average yearly salary. But, what about other teams and the respective top-paid players? Additionally, we might wonder which team’s best-paid player gets the smallest salary among these high-flyers. Let’s dive into this analysis.

To structure this examination, we’ll explore the teams and their highest-earning players in descending order of their salaries. We’ll start from the team boasting the player with the topmost average yearly income to the one presenting the player drawing the more modest average annual pay, according to data up to April 9, 2025, from Spotrac.com, a reliable source for tracking MLB player contracts.

From the New York Mets, we find the right fielder, Juan Soto, perched on their financial pinnacle. Soto notches a generous average annual compensation amounting to $51 million. Our following stop is over at the Philadelphia Phillies. They mark Zach Wheeler, their starting pitcher, as their highest earner. Wheeler is pocketing an average annual salary of around $42 million.

When we shift our gaze to the New York Yankees, we see right fielder Aaron Judge leading their pack in salaries, netting an average of $40 million per year. Turning our focus over to the Boston Red Sox, it’s third baseman Alex Bregman that hits the top of the salary scale with $40 million yearly. In Texas, notably, the Rangers are paying a significant sum to Jacob deGrom, their starting pitcher, who’s taking home on average $37 million annually.

Over at the Los Angeles Angels, the top earner is indeed a familiar figure. Mike Trout, their indispensable right fielder, has an average annual remuneration of $35.54 million. Meanwhile, at the Arizona Diamondbacks, starting pitcher Corbin Burnes mount the salary ladder, earning an impressive $35 million each year.

Moving ahead, the Minnesota Twins pitch their biggest paycheck to shortstop Carlos Correa, whose yearly earnings average around $33.3 million. Further, Nolan Arenado, third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, finds himself as the top earner of the team, pulling in an average annual salary of $32.5 million. The San Diego Padres also pay a healthy amount to their third baseman; Manny Machado enjoys an annual salary of approximately $31.82 million.

The Toronto Blue Jays headliner in terms of payout is their first baseman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., sustaining an average yearly income of $28.5 million. Similarly, the Milwaukee Brewers delight their designated hitter, Christian Yelich, with an average remuneration of $26.93 million per year. In Kansas City, the Royals’ top earner is shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., with an average annual paycheck of $26.25 million.

The Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants both have their highest salaries positioned at $26 million. From the Rockies, designated hitter Kris Bryant leads the earnings, while shortstop Willy Adames dominates the Giants’ payroll. Over in Chicago, shortstop Dansby Swanson from the Cubs is compensated with an average of $25.3 million annually.

From the Houston Astros, their left field player, Jose Altuve, banks in an average $25 million every year. The Detroit Tigers provide a yearly reward of about $23.33 million to their third baseman, Javier Baez. With the Athletics, Luis Severino, their starting pitcher, reigns with an average annual turnout of $22.3 million.

For the Seattle Mariners, starting pitcher Luis Castillo brings in the most significant annual average sum of $21.6 million. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves ensure that their third baseman, Austin Riley, pockets an average of $21.2 million per year. In Cincinnati, the Reds award their top payout to Nick Martinez, the starting pitcher, who earns close to $21.05 million yearly.

The Cleveland Guardians reward their most prominent financial honor to Jose Ramirez, their third baseman, amounting to an average of $20.14 million per annum. Then, in Tampa Bay, the Rays’ shortstop Wander Franco tops their salary list, cashing in approximately $16.55 million each year.

Further down the list, the Baltimore Orioles’ top-earner is right fielder Tyler O’Neill, with annual rewards averaging at $16.5 million. With the Pittsburgh Pirates, starting pitcher Mitch Keller earns the most, his salary hitting an average of $15.4 million per year. Andrew Benintendi, a designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox, enjoys the highest payout on the team, with an annual mean figure of $15 million.

Lastly, in Miami, the Marlins write their heftiest paycheck to starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara, whose average annual income amounts to $11.2 million. The Washington Nationals top earner is the pride of their team, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who brings home an average of $10.3 million annually. This is the brief overview of the players reaping the maximum financial benefits from their respective teams in the 2025 MLB season.