Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto Top Sportico List of MLB's Highest-Paid Players in 2025

Life is good for Shohei Ohtani right now as the centerpiece of MLB's opening series in Tokyo this week, top star for the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and one of the highest-paid players in the sport.

Per Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen, Ohtani's $102 million in combined earnings between his salary and endorsements ranks second on MLB's list of highest-paid players in 2025, behind only Juan Soto of the New York Mets ($128.9 million).

The big difference is that Ohtani's earnings are almost entirely from endorsements. His deferred salary means the Dodgers are only paying him $2 million this season, or just under two percent of his 2025 income.

By comparison, of the top 15 highest-paid MLB players in 2025, the second-highest amount in endorsement earnings is $10 million for Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper.

Soto and Aaron Judge are the only other players who earn more than $5 million in endorsements.

It's not a surprise that Soto has passed Ohtani as the top earner in MLB. The 26-year-old received the richest contract in pro sports history when he signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets in December.

Unlike Ohtani, Soto's deal doesn't include any deferrals. He will earn $121.9 million this season from the Mets between his base salary and $75 million signing bonus.

Perhaps the most surprising name on this list is Blake Snell at No. 3, ahead of Judge, Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom and Mike Trout. The two-time Cy Young winner is raking in $65.6 million this year thanks in large part to his $52 million signing bonus from the Dodgers.

Since the Dodgers included $66 million in deferred money in Snell's five-year, $182 million contract, his base salary this season is only $28.4 million.

Badenhausen noted the top 15 players will combine to make an estimated $745 million in 2025, an increase of nearly $100 million from last year ($647 million).

Agent Scott Boras represents nine of the 15 players on the list, including Soto, Snell, Harper, Anthony Rendon, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Correa and Pete Alonso.