Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Schatz
Baseball has always been a game of numbers, both on and off the field. While fans love to talk about home runs and strikeouts, there’s another set of figures that often raise eyebrows – player salaries. Some players have cashed in big time – when they probably shouldn’t have.
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The most overpaid players in baseball history have sparked countless arguments among fans and analysts alike. These discussions often center around whether a player’s performance on the field matches their hefty paycheck. It’s a topic that never fails to get baseball lovers fired up, so let’s get to the list…
1) Bobby Bonilla
Bobby Bonilla‘s name has become synonymous with one of the most infamous contracts in baseball history. The New York Mets still pay him $1.19 million every July 1, a tradition that will continue until 2035. This deal, struck when the Mets bought out his $5.9 million contract in 2000, has turned into a yearly reminder of financial missteps in sports. Bonilla’s playing career, which included six All-Star selections, has been overshadowed by this payoff that keeps on giving long after his retirement.
2) Alex Rodriguez
A-Rod’s 2014 contract with the Yankees was a real head-scratcher. The team gave him a 10-year, $275 million deal back in 2007, which looked pretty bad by 2014. He was 38, coming off a suspension, and his skills were fading fast.
The Yankees ended up paying him big bucks to sit on the bench or play poorly. In 2016, they even paid him $21 million not to play at all.
3) Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols signed a massive 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels in 2012. Fans had high hopes, but Pujols didn’t live up to expectations. His numbers dropped off, and injuries slowed him down. The Angels struggled to make the playoffs during his time there. It’s a classic case of a big contract not panning out the way a team hoped.
4) Barry Zito
Barry Zito’s move to the San Francisco Giants in 2007 was a head-scratcher. The Giants gave him a whopping $126 million contract for seven years. Fans were pumped at first, but it didn’t take long for the excitement to fizzle out. Zito’s performance on the mound just didn’t match up to his paycheck.
5) Josh Hamilton
Josh Hamilton’s time with the Los Angeles Angels was far from angelic. After signing a massive $125 million contract in 2012, Hamilton’s performance took a nosedive. His batting average plummeted, and injuries kept him off the field. The Angels ended up trading him back to the Texas Rangers in 2015, eating a huge chunk of his salary in the process.
6) Jason Bay
Jason Bay’s stint with the New York Mets is a cautionary tale of free agent signings gone wrong. After signing a 4-year, $66 million contract in 2010, Bay’s performance took a nosedive. The former National League Rookie of the Year struggled with injuries and a power outage at the plate.
Mets fans watched in disbelief as their big-money acquisition hit just .234 with 26 home runs over three seasons. Bay’s contract became an albatross for the team, and they ultimately released him a year early in 2012.
7) David Wright
David Wright‘s career with the New York Mets took a sad turn. He signed a huge $138 million contract in 2012, but injuries hit hard. Back problems and spinal stenosis kept him off the field for long stretches of the year. Wright played only 77 games from 2015 to 2018, but that didn’t stop the Mets from having to pay him his full salary.
8) Rick Ankiel
Rick Ankiel’s career is a wild ride that baseball fans still talk about. He started as a pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999, showing tons of promise. But then things got weird. Ankiel lost his pitching mojo and decided to become an outfielder instead.
The Cardinals stuck with him through thick and thin. They even gave him a big $2.8 million deal in 2008. That’s a lot of cash for a guy who completely changed positions mid-career.
9) Rusney Castillo
Rusney Castillo’s contract with the Red Sox is a head-scratcher. In 2014, Boston gave him a 7-year, $72.5 million deal, hoping he’d be their next big star.
Spoiler alert: he wasn’t. Castillo spent most of his time in the minors, playing just 99 games for the Red Sox over three seasons.
10) Jacoby Ellsbury
Jacoby Ellsbury’s contract with the New York Yankees was a major flop. The Yankees signed him to a 7-year, $153 million deal in 2014. Ellsbury played only four seasons before injuries sidelined him.
He hit just .264 with the Yankees, way below his .297 career average with Boston. The Yankees ended up paying Ellsbury about $21 million per season for mediocre play and missed time.