List of highest paid baseball players

The following chart reveals the evolution of the highest paid player in Major League Baseball. Data after 1985 is verified through research by Doug Pappas.

1927       $70,000 - Babe Ruth (unconfirmed)
1930       $80,000 - Babe Ruth (unconfirmed)
1949      $100,000 - Ted Williams (unconfirmed)
1961 -     $75,000 - Mickey Mantle (unconfirmed)
1966 -    $130,000 - Willie Mays (unconfirmed)
1972      $200,000 - Hank Aaron (unconfirmed)
1979 -             - Pete Rose (unconfirmed)
1981 -  $2,000,000 - Dave Winfield (unconfirmed)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
1985 -  $2,130,300 - Mike Schmidt
1986 -  $2,800,000 - George Foster
1987 -  $2,127,333 - Mike Schmidt
1988 -  $2,340,000 - Ozzie Smith
1989 -  $2,766,667 - Orel Hershiser, Frank Viola
1990 -  $3,200,000 - Robin Yount
1991 -  $3,800,000 - Darryl Strawberry
1992 -  $6,100,000 - Bobby Bonilla
1993 -  $6,200,000 - Bobby Bonilla
1994 -  $6,300,000 - Bobby Bonilla
1995 -  $9,237,500 - Cecil Fielder
1997 - $10,000,000 - Albert Belle
1998 - $14,936,667 - Gary Sheffield
2000 - $15,714,286 - Kevin Brown
2001 - $22,000,000 - Alex Rodriguez

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The following chart reveals the Major League Baseball players that have earned the most total salary in their career (through the end of 2002). Data is verified through research by Doug Pappas.

$95,095,000 - Greg Maddux
$88,963,215 - Barry Bonds
$87,901,000 - Roger Clemens
$84,376,294 - Albert Belle
$83,747,644 - Kevin Brown
$82,659,654 - Ken Griffey, Jr
$81,593,335 - Gary Sheffield
$79,295,000 - Randy Johnson
$76,700,000 - Cal Ripken, Jr (no data available for 1981-1984)
$74,765,000 - Barry Larkin
$74,688,354 - Mark McGwire
$74,568,000 - Sammy Sosa
$73,297,996 - Rafael Palmiero
$72,363,430 - Larry Walker
$71,199,437 - Tom Glavine
$69,437,500 - Juan Gonzalez
$68,860,000 - Matt Williams
$68,342,501 - David Cone
$67,603,815 - Roberto Alomar
$67,014,000 - Frank Thomas