Shohei Ohtani is often dubbed a unicorn for his ability to hit and pitch at an elite level. His skills have helped him win four MVP Awards, capture two World Series titles and post MLB’s first 50-50 season for home runs and stolen bases.

The on-field resume is elite, but Ohtani might be an even bigger unicorn off the field. The Japanese phenom is projected to earn $125 million in 2026 from sponsors and memorabilia. The single-year endorsement tally is more than any other athlete in the history of sports.

Before Ohtani, endorsement earnings for MLB players peaked around $10 million for Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki. Last year, Ohtani made $100 million from endorsements, a threshold previously reached by only three athletes in Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Stephen Curry, who each did it one time. Woods’ 2009 endorsement earnings of $105 million was the prior record.

On an inflation-adjusted scale, Ohtani is still looking up at Woods’ $160 million, and Michael Jordan remains the endorsement king if you count retired athletes. MJ earned an estimated $300 million in 2024, thanks to royalties on Nike’s Brand Jordan business, which posted $7 billion in revenue during its latest fiscal year.

Ohtani will receive only $2 million in playing salary from the Los Angeles Dodgers this year, due to the unique nature of his 10-year, $700 million contract signed in 2023. It called for $680 million of the pact to be deferred until 2034 when he will receive $68 million annually for 10 years. The $2 million cash salary in 2026 ranks 17th among Dodgers players, but the endorsement haul puts Ohtani ($127 million) atop MLB’s highest-paid players for the third time in four years—Juan Soto was first in 2025.

Ohtani has roughly 20 brand partners, including JAL, Seiko, Kowa, Kosé, Hugo Boss and Dip. In December, Japanese probiotic firm Kirin signed Ohtani as its “Immune Care” ambassador and launched a nationwide ad campaign with him. In 2021, Ohtani signed with Fanatics as one of their exclusive athletes. Back-to-back World Series titles have supercharged the Ohtani memorabilia business.

New Balance remains Ohtani’s biggest brand partner, and his deal is more like a global NBA superstar shoe pact than anything previously done in baseball. The Boston-based firm dramatically expanded its Ohtani signature collection in 2026 that now includes dozens of items.

Aaron Judge is Ohtani’s only competition for the best player in baseball right now, but it is Judge’s teammate who ranks second in 2026 among MLB’s highest-paid players, with Cody Bellinger at $57.5 million, including endorsements.

Bellinger was one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason and ultimately returned to the Yankees via a five-year, $162.5 million contract. The deal included a $20 million signing bonus and first-year salary of $32.5 million. In January, he also pocketed a $2.5 million buyout tied to the contract he originally signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2024. It pushed his 2026 on-field pay to $55 million.

Rounding out the top five are Kyle Tucker ($56.5 million), Soto ($53.9 million) and Judge ($49 million).

New York and Los Angeles dominate the sport’s biggest earners, with franchises in those cities home to 10 of the 15 highest salaries this year by luxury-tax cap calculations. Tucker has the top salary by cash ($55 million) and luxury-tax purposes ($57.2 million). The outfielder signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers that includes $30 million in deferred salary ($10 million a year from 2027 through 2029).

Ahead of the Tucker signing, the Dodgers were already on track to exceed MLB’s highest luxury-tax threshold in 2026. It means they are on the hook for a luxury-tax bill of 110% of his salary, pushing the cost of Tucker to $120 million annually and setting off new cries that Dodgers’ financial might is an existential crisis in baseball.

Methodology

The 15 highest-paid MLB players will earn an estimated $718 million overall in 2026, down 4% from $745 million last year, but still up from $647 million in 2024. The 2026 decline is largely tied to the structure of Soto’s contract that paid $122 million in its first year, including a $75 million signing bonus. Scott Boras represents eight of the 15 athletes.

The earnings are based on cash payouts in 2026 and do not include any potential incentives—Soto’s pact calls for $500,000 for a first MVP and $1 million for each subsequent one. Deferred compensation and signing bonuses are included in the year they are paid. Off-field earnings estimates were compiled through conversations with those familiar with MLB endorsement deals. Also factored in is income from memorabilia, appearances, media and businesses tied to their celebrity. The figures are all before taxes and any agent fees.

The 15 Highest-Paid Players in 2026

1. Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers): $127 million

Salary: $2 million | Endorsements: $125 million | Age: 31

Ohtani’s 2026 endorsement tally is not only a record in sports, but it is also unmatched in the gap compared to the No. 2 in the sports. His projected off0-field earnings are 14x what Judge and Bryce Harper should bank this year. The closest instance of a disparity between the top two athletes in a major sport over the past 30 years was Usain Bolt at his peak, making $30 million a year, 10x anyone else has in track.

2. Cody Bellinger (New York Yankees): $57.5 million

Salary: $55 million | Endorsements: $2.5 million | Age: 30

Bellinger’s trade to the Yankees in December 2024 and strong season boosted his sponsor profile. He will earn an estimated $2.5 million off the field this year from memorabilia and endorsement deals with Revlon, Fanatics, Nike, Rawlings, Louisville Slugger and Jaxxon.

3. Kyle Tucker (Los Angeles Dodgers): $56.5 million

Salary: $55 million | Endorsements: $1.5 million | Age: 29

Tucker’s deal includes a $64 million signing bonus, with $54 million paid in February and $10 million due next year. He has player options for both 2028 and 2029. Tucker has endorsement deals with Anheuser-Busch, Nike, Rawlings, Sage, Wildcard and New Era.

4. Juan Soto (New York Mets): $53.9 million

Salary: $46.9 million | Endorsements: $7 million | Age: 27

After a slow start with the Mets, Soto posted his usual dominant season at the plate with a .921 OPS, third highest in the National League. Soto is entering his ninth MLB season but is still the youngest of the top-15 earners. He’s built a robust sponsor portfolio that includes Celsius, Under Armour, Presidente, Banreservas Bank and Wilson.

5. Aaron Judge (New York Yankees): $49 million

Salary: $40 million | Endorsements: $9 million | Age: 33

The Yankees captain hit 50 home runs for the fourth time in his career, but Judge also secured his first batting title on his way to a third MVP award. Judge signed with Nike’s Jordan Brand in 2023, and last year became the face of Ralph Lauren’s new fragrance “Polo Est. 67.” Judge’s legacy is resonating with collectors. A 2013 signed Judge card just sold for $5.2 million, setting a modern-day record for a baseball card, topping the $3.9 million paid for a 2009 signed Mike Trout card.

6. Bo Bichette (New York Mets): $43.5 million

Salary: $42 million | Endorsements: $1.5 million | Age: 28

The Mets quickly pivoted their free agent plans to Bichette after Tucker chose the Dodgers. The former Toronto Blue Jay eschewed longer deals on the table for a short-term, high-value pact worth $126 million over three years. Bichette has opt-outs after the 2026 and 2027 seasons and can re-enter free agency if he puts up big numbers on the diamond.

7. Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies): $42.2 million

Salary: $42 million | Endorsements: $200,000 | Age: 35

Wheeler’s 2025 season was cut short by thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September. It derailed another strong season that still landed him in the top 10 of Cy Young voting. His 27.6 WAR over the past five season, per Baseball-Reference, is the best in MLB for pitchers if Ohtani’s hitting WAR is excluded. He is signed through 2027 under a three-year, $126 million extension.

8. Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels): $39 million

Salary: $35.5 million | Endorsements: $3.5 million | Age: 34

The good news: Trout played 130 games last year, his highest total since the 2019 season. The bad news: He posted a .797 OPS, 61 points below his previous career low in 2023, although still 21% better than the league average in an indicator of Trout’s dominant career. His first nine full seasons included three MVP Awards, four times in second, and fourth and fifth in balloting the other two seasons. His 12-year, $426.5 million contract was the richest in the sport before Ohtani topped him. The deal pays $35.5 million each season through 2030.

9. Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees): $38.5 million

Salary: $36 million | Endorsements: $2.5 million | Age: 35

Cole missed the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. He is expected to return to the mound during the first half of the 2026 season. The righty’s first four years in the Bronx produced three top-five Cy Young finishes, including a win for his 2023 season. His nine-year, $324 million deal was the largest contract ever for a pitcher until December 2023 deals for Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Ohtani.

10. Jacob deGrom (Texas Rangers): $38.3 million

Salary: $38 million | Endorsements: $300,000 | Age: 37

DeGrom made 30 starts last year, after making a combined 35 in the four years prior. The starts and 172 innings were his most since the 2019 season, and the righty finished eighth in the American League Cy Young race. The Rangers signed deGrom to a $185 million, five-year deal ahead of the 2023 season. His career WHIP is the second-lowest all time, behind only Addie Joss, who retired in 1910.

11. Dylan Cease (Toronto Blue Jays): $36 million

Salary: $35 million | Endorsements: $1 million | Age: 30

Last year was the worst full season of Cease’s career, but his track record, which includes a pair of top-four Cy Young finishes, secured him a seven-year, $210 million contract in free agency. It was the biggest free-agent deal in Blue Jays history. His sponsors include Adidas, Wilson and Topps.

12. Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies): $35 million

Salary: $26 million | Endorsements: $9 million | Age: 33

Harper had a down season in 2025 by his standards, but he remains one of the most marketable players in the game. Last year, his jersey was the eighth-most sold, with Ohtani and Judge occupying the top two slots and Rafael Devers the first non-LA/NYC player at No. 7 following his trade to the San Francisco Giants. In January, Harper signed an extension to his footwear and apparel deal with Under Armour. His first deal with UA was in 2011, and a 10-year extension expired at the end of 2025.

13. Tarik Skubal (Detroit Tigers): $34.5 million

Salary: $32 million | Endorsements: $2.5 million | Age: 29

In February, an arbitration panel awarded Skubal a $32 million salary for the 2026 season. The tally set a number of arbitration records during a hearing where the Tigers were forced to defend why the two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner should settle for their $19 million offer. This is likely just an appetizer for Skubal, who is on track to shatter the current contract record for a pitcher (Yamamoto, $325 million) when he is a free agent after the 2026 season. His on-field dominance has attracted brand partners, including Nike, Shinola watches, Screwball Whiskey, Cure Insurance and New Era.

14. Corey Seager (Texas Rangers): $34 million

Salary: $31 million | Endorsements: $3 million | Age: 31

Seager was an All-Star his first three seasons in Texas, but injuries and an emergency appendectomy limited him to 102 games in 2025. His performance was still 51% better than league average in the fourth year of his 10-year, $325 million contract with Texas. He is one of only four players to win two World Series MVPs, having done it with both the Dodgers (2020) and Rangers (2023).

15. Pete Alonso (Baltimore Orioles): $33.5 million

Salary: $31 million | Endorsements: $2.5 million | Age: 31

The Polar Bear left Queens during the offseason after seven years with the Mets. He opted out of his two-year deal with New York to sign a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles. Only Judge and Kyle Schwarber exceeded his 264 home runs since the start of the 2019 season. Alonso was a fan favorite with the Mets, which boosted his off-field income to more than $2 million per year.