Forbes reported on Monday that Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is set to earn $65 million for the 2023 season; a new MLB all-time record. This income, which includes endorsements as well as the one-year, $30 million contract extension signed in October, is set to be the biggest in the history of baseball at large.
Ohtani is expected to earn $35 million from endorsements, up from $20 million in 2022 and $6 million in 2021. Forbes showed a substantial gap between Ohtani’s endorsement earnings and those of his peers. Second on the list was Yankees slugger and 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge, with $4.5 million in endorsements, followed by Ohtani’s teammate, three-time AL MVP Mike Trout with $4 million in endorsements.
Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, Ohtani is also expected to land one of the most expensive contracts in baseball history. He most recently helped Japan to lift the World Baseball Classic title last week.
