Fansided

30 highest career MLB salaries

By Nathaniel Reeves

Aug 12, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez (13) waves to the fans after playing his final game as a Yankee against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez (13) waves to the fans after playing his final game as a Yankee against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 2, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Holliday (17) during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Holliday (17) during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

25. Matt Holliday, $158,917,101

Holliday’s remarkable consistency throughout his career paid off to the tune of over $158 million earned so far to crack the top 25 salaries in MLB history.

Originally a highly-touted quarterback prospect out of Oklahoma, Holliday instead chose to enter the MLB draft out of high school. Holliday would spend parts of five seasons in the Colorado Rockies organization before reaching the Majors in 2004.

Three years later, Holliday developed into a productive middle of the order hitter with a 151 wRC+ and 6.9 WAR. After declining a number of extensions with the Rockies, Holliday was dealt to the Oakland Athletics in November of 2008, before being flipped to the St. Louis Cardinals at the following deadline.

Holliday put up 5.4 WAR in his final arbitration season to help the Cardinals win the NL Central, and was rewarded with a seven-year, $120 million deal in free agency. The contract was well worth it for the Cardinals, as Holliday put up no worse than a 132 wRC+ in the first five years of the deal and was a major factor in the 2011 World Series run.

While the Cardinals exercised a $1 million buyout in 2017, the 37-year-old Holliday isn’t done yet, and will earn $13 million on a one-year deal with the Yankees this season.

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