Forbes: Angels' Shohei Ohtani to Earn MLB-Record $65M in 2023; Yankees' Judge 3rd

Shohei Ohtani has yet to sign a record-breaking contract with an MLB team, but the 2021 American League MVP is already making more money than any other player in the sport.

Per Justin Birnbaum of Forbes, Ohtani is projected to earn an MLB-record $65 million this season between his salary with the Los Angeles Angels and endorsement deals.

Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge ranks third on the list with an estimated $44.5 million in total earnings for the 2023 season, with $40 million coming from his new contract with the New York Yankees.

New York Mets ace Max Scherzer is between Ohtani and Judge with projected earnings of $59.3 million, though almost all of that comes from his MLB salary ($58.3 million).

Ohtani has already set one MLB contract record when he signed a one-year, $30 million deal with the Angels in October. It's the largest one-year pact given to an arbitration-eligible player, breaking the previous record of $27 million set by Mookie Betts in 2020.

The estimated $35 million Ohtani will make through endorsements is, by far, the most for an MLB player in 2023. Judge and Mike Trout are the only other players on the list with at least $4 million in endorsement deals.

New Balance chief marketing officer Chris Davis told Birnbaum that Ohtani's earning power is "analogous to that of a NBA signature shoe athlete."

Per an October 2022 report from SponsorUnited, Ohtani's 17 brand endorsements last year broke Judge's record of 13 set in 2021. The Japanese sensation also tripled his endorsement earnings in 2022 compared to the previous year.

Per MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, Hugo Boss, Asics, Fanatics, Panini, Seiko, Topps, Oakley, Descente, FTX, Kowa, Mitsubishi Bank and Salesforce are among the brands that have signed endorsement deals with Ohtani.

It's reasonable to think the gap between Ohtani and the rest of MLB players in total earnings will only increase after this season when he becomes a free agent.

Some people in MLB believe Ohtani could sign a contract worth at least $500 million next offseason. He would be the first athlete in North American professional sports to hit that benchmark if it does happen.

Trout set the record for largest MLB contract when he signed an extension with the Angels in 2019 that turned his pact into a 12-year, $426.5 million deal.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the highest-paid athlete in North American professional sports, as he has a 10-year, $450 million contract with escalators that could push the total value to $503 million.

Ohtani has finished in the top two in AL MVP voting in each of the past two years, including winning the award in 2021. He also finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting last season.