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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May 27, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners fans cheer for a strikeout by starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
May 27, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners fans cheer for a strikeout by starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

22. Felix Hernandez, $162,785,000

Rather than let Hernandez get anywhere close to free agency, the Mariners rewarded their franchise icon with a contract extension that will help him climb further up the all-time earnings list.

At just 16 years of age coming out of Venezuela, Hernandez had already emerged as a special prospect and earned a large $710, 000 signing bonus from Seattle. Three years later, Hernandez became the youngest pitcher in three decades to make his MLB debut, and he posted no worse than 3.3 WAR in his first three full seasons.

The King didn’t really get going until 2009, when he put up a 2.49 ERA and career-high 6.2 WAR, leading to a five-year, $78 million contract. Hernandez responded by winning the Cy Young Award the following season, and remained one of the most valuable pitchers in the league for the first three years of the deal.

Seattle decided Hernandez was worth even more than that, and voided the last two years of the contract with a seven-year, $175 million extension in February 2013 that made him the highest paid pitcher in MLB history at the time.  Despite a pair of down seasons, Hernandez has been worth 16 WAR since, and became even more of a Seattle icon during the emotional press conference to announce the new contract.

By the end of the deal in 2020, Hernandez will have earned over $200 million pending incentives, and will still have a chance to add on at just 35 years old.

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