Who are the MLB Highest Paid Players in 2023? Every season and every generation there are always changes and one of them is the payment rate for players. The better the talent the higher the salary and every season new talents are discovered thus causing the payment rate card to go higher.
In 2021, the revenue rose after a hard hit in the 2020 season following the arrival of Covid-19 that sent almost all the clubs to their knees. With the rise in revenue, the clubs are currently not afraid of investing as heavily as they can in players, and currently, players are hitting a season wage of up to $40 million.
In this article, we will highlight the highest-paid MLB players but the numbers do change with time depending on signings and trades. This season, one player can hold the record and the next season another player can climb the ladder.
MLB Highest Paid Players 2023. (Top Five)
Currently, the talented New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer is the one topping the list while Justin Verlander tails behind him with the same salary but with a differential in the contract.
1. Max Scherzer
- Total Earnings Season- $43.33 million
- Contract Status- 3 years, $130 million.
Max joined the New York Mets in 2022 signing a 3 years contract worth, $130 million and becoming the highest-paid MLB player in history. On top of that, he’s also the first player to hit an earning of $43.3 million a year. Despite being the highest-paid player, his contract contains a full no-trade clause but has an opt-out option after the 2023 season. He is also set to receive, a $100,000 bonus each year he’s named to the All-Star Game.
2. Justin Verlander
- Total Earnings per Season: $43.333 million
- Contract Status: 2 years, $86.6 million
Justin is the reigning winner of the AL Cy Young Award after clinching the 2022 award. He, also enter the Mets’ highest earners list earning the same salary as Max but, he signed a two-year contract worth $86.6 but has a vesting option for 2025 which is worth $35 million.
3. Aaron Judge
- Total Earnings per Season: $40 million
- Contract Status: 9 years worth $360 million.
While Max and Justin top the list as the highest-paid players and pitchers, Aaron ranks third highest-paid MLB player. However, he’s the highest-paid position player earning $ 40 million per season. Signing a $360 worth contract made him the first player over 30 years to sign a nine-year contract worth that much playing for the Yankees.
4. Anthony Rendon
- Total Earnings per Season: $38.571 million
- Contract Status: 7 years, $245 million
The Los Angeles hit-man enters our top five list of the highest-paid MLB players earning a season wage of $ 38.571 million. Earning this much makes him the second-highest hitter in MLB at the moment. So far he has accumulated $127.244 in career earnings and his contract extends through 2026 and it also includes a no-trade clause.
5. Mike Trout
- Total earnings per season: $37.116 million.
- Contract Status: 12 years, $426.5 million
The outfielder has never missed the MLB playoffs since 2014 and he has hit the baseball field as one of the best players in MLB history. Trout is committed to Los Angeles for 12 years and this made him script a new history in the MLB becoming the first player to sign such a contract. His contract is set to expire in 2031, and this might be his exit plan as he will be hitting 40 years by the time the contract comes to an end.