Shohei Ohtani on top – soon.
All eyes are on two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who has kept his free-agent plans private up until this point. Ohtani was expected to sign the largest deal in MLB history before undergoing elbow surgery that will keep him from pitching during the 2024 season and possibly beyond.
Now it’s rumored and very possible that Ohtani will sign a shorter-term deal that will enable him to return to the free agent market in the near future, once he’s proven that he’s still an elite pitcher. Should Ohtani take that route, he would almost likely be the game’s highest-paid player in 2024 and have the biggest yearly salary in MLB history
Here are the lists of both baseball’s top 10 best-paid players in 2024 as well as the largest AAVs in MLB history.
MLB’s highest-paid players 2024
| RANK/PLAYER | TEAM | CONTRACT DETAILS | 2024 SALARY | AVERAGE ANNUAL VALUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1. Max Scherzer | Mets/Rangers | 3 years, $130 million | $43,333,333 | $43,333,333 |
| T1. Justin Verlander | Mets/Astros | 2 years, $86.66 million | $43,333,333 | $43,333,333 |
| T3. Jacob deGrom | Rangers | 5 years, $185 million | $40,000,000 | $37,000,000 |
| T3. Aaron Judge | Yankees | 9 years, $360 million | $40,000,000 | $40,000,000 |
| 5. Anthony Rendon | Angels | 7 years, $245 million | $38,571,428 | $35,000,000 |
| 6. Mike Trout | Angels | 12 years, $426.5 million | $37,116,666 | $35,541,667 |
| 7. Gerrit Cole | Yankees | 9 years, $324 million | $36,000,000 | $36,000,000 |
| 8. Patrick Cobrin | Nationals | 6 years, $140 million | $35,416,670 | $23,333,333 |
| T9. Stephen Strasburg | Nationals | 7 years, $245 million | $35,000,000 | $35,000,000 |
| T9. Nolan Arenado | Rockies/Cardinals | 8 years, $260 million | $35,000,000 | $32,500,000 |
| T9. Corey Seager | Rangers | 10 years, $325 million | $35,000,000 | $32,500,000 |
Below, are the 10 biggest contracts in terms of average annual value in baseball history, along with each player’s signing team (not their current team), and the length of their deal.
Biggest contracts in MLB history based on AAV
T1. Max Scherzer, RHP, New York Mets: $43,333,333 (2022-24)
T1. Justin Verlander, RHP, New York Mets: $43,333,333 (2023-24)
3. Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees: $40,000,000 (2023-31)
4. Jacob deGrom, RHP, Texas Rangers: $37,000,000 (2023-27)
5. Gerrit Cole, RHP, New York Yankees: $36,000,000 (2020-28)
6. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels: $35,541,667 (2019-30)
7. Carlos Correa, SS, Minnesota Twins: $35,100,000 (2022-24)
T8. Stephen Strasburg, RHP, Washington Nationals: $35,000,000 (2020-26)
T8. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Los Angeles Angels: $35,000,000 (2020-26)
10. Francisco Lindor, SS, New York Mets: $34,100,000 (2022-31)
Will Ohtani end up on top of both lists? Probably.
