Top 10 Highest Paid MLB First Basemen

With Major League Baseball salaries skyrocketing in recent years, it makes sense that first basemen are receiving salaries that were once thought impossible. These 10 players have managed to sign some eye-popping contracts thanks to their power hitting, strong fielding, and clutch performances in both the regular season and the playoffs.

Who Are the Highest-Paid MLB First Basemen in the MLB?

1. Freddie Freeman - $27 million per year
2. Paul Goldschmidt - $26 million per year
3. Joey Votto - $25 million per year
4. Matt Olson - $21 million per year
5. Jose Abreu - $19.5 million per year
6. Anthony Rizzo - $17 million per year
7. Josh Bell -  $16.5 million per year
8. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - $14.5 million per year
9. Pete Alonso - $14.5 million per year
10. Max Muncy - $13.5 million per year

1. Freddie Freeman - $27 million per year

Freddie Freeman makes $27 million every year as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. By now, Freddie Freeman has become one of the most respected names in all of baseball thanks to his consistency and clutch hitting. He holds a career average of .298 to go along with 292 career home runs. And perhaps most importantly, he was absolutely instrumental in the Atlanta Braves’ unlikely playoff run in 2021 that ended in a World Series title.

2. Paul Goldschmidt - $26 million per year

Making $26 million per year, Paul Goldschmidt comes in second on our list of highest-paid first basemen in the MLB. As a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, Goldschmidt earned his large contract through many years of excellence with the team. Goldschmidt is a seven-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger, and even led the majors in home runs in 2013. This excellence, along with his many years of experience, earned him a contract worth $130 million over five years.

3. Joey Votto - $25 million per year

The Cincinnati Reds pay Joey Votto $25 million every year to play first base. Like Goldschmidt, Joey Votto has had a long career in Major League Baseball. He made his debut in 2007 as a member of the Reds and has stayed with the team ever since. He has over 2,000 hits over the course of his career, has held a batting average of .297, and has hit 342 home runs. In 2010, his efforts were good enough for the NL MVP award.

4. Matt Olson- $21 million per year

With the Atlanta Braves, Matt Olson earns $21 million per year. Seeing as they had big shoes to fill with the loss of Freddie Freeman, the Braves made a trade with the Oakland Athletics to procure 2021 All-Star Matt Olson. They promptly gave him a contract worth $168 million, set to be paid out over the course of eight years. Matt Olson is one of the best defensive first basemen in all of the MLB, having won a Gold Glove in both 2018 and 2019.

5. Jose Abreu - $19.5 million per year

Jose Abreu makes $19,500,000 per year as a first baseman for the Houston Astros. Abreu signed a three-year, $58,000,000 deal with the Astros for the 2023 season. He was the AL MVP in 2020 and is a three-time All-Star, which justifies his hefty deal in Houston. Abreu played the first nine years of his MLB career with the Chicago White Sox, earning three Silver Slugger Awards along with the MVP and All-Star nods.

6. Anthony Rizzo - $17 million per year

Anthony Rizzo makes $17 million every year playing first base for the New York Yankees. Rizzo spent nearly a decade with the Chicago Cubs and was essential to their historic World Series win in 2016. He’s been selected to the All-Star game three times and has maintained a batting average of .265 over the course of his many years in the MLB. He’s also won four Gold Glove awards and even a Platinum Glove in 2016.

7. Josh Bell - $16.5 million per year

Josh Bell makes $16.5 million each year covering first base for the Cleveland Guardians. He first joined the MLB in 2016 as a pinch hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates and stayed with them until 2020. In 2019, Bell was named an All-Star and soon after became a hot commodity. He played in 2021 for the Washington Nationals and in 2022 for the San Diego Padres. After winning a Silver Slugger award in 2022, Bell signed a two-year $33 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians.

8. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - $14.5 million per year

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays makes $14.5 million a year playing first base. Guerrero Jr. made his Major League debut in 2019. Since then, he has won a Silver Slugger Award (2021), Gold Glove Award (2022), been selected to the All-Star Game twice, and was the MLB home run leader in 2021. Guerrero Jr. signed a one-year, $14,500,000 deal with the Blue Jays for the 2023 season.

9. Pete Alonso - $14.5 million per year

Pete Alonso is a rising star for the New York Mets and makes a whopping $14.5 million annually. He signed with the Mets in 2019 and was a hot shot in his very first season. He even set the MLB record for most home runs by a rookie (53). In his first three years as a Met, Alonso has been named an MLB All-Star twice (2019, 2022) and been one of the league’s best hitters and outfielders. For this reason, the Mets almost doubled his annual salary and signed a one-year contract at the end of 2022 worth $14.5 million.

10. Max Muncy - $13.5 million per year

With the Los Angeles Dodgers, Max Muncy makes $13,500,000 annually. Historically, Max Muncy has been a first baseman, but he has shown tremendous versatility in his ability to switch to other infield positions. In 2022, with the addition of All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, Muncy regularly played third base, second base, or was the designated hitter. Presently, Muncy is on a one-year extension with the Dodgers that grants him $13.5 million.

Honorable Mentions

Rhys Hoskins - $12 million per year

Rhys Hoskins is a first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies who makes $12 million a year. Hoskins was drafted by the Phillies in 2014 and made his MLB debut in 2017. He signed his one-year, $12 million contract for the 2023 season. While Hoskins has yet to take home any major awards, he has proved to be a vital part of the Phillies’ winning formula, as they made a trip to the World Series in 2022.

Brandon Belt - $9.3 million per year

World Series champ Brandon Belt makes an impressive 9.3 million annually playing for the Toronto Blue Jays. Belt began his MLB career playing for the San Francisco giants in 2011 and spent over a decade with them as both an offensive and defensive powerhouse. He even helped lead them to two World Series championships (2012, 2014) and was named an MLB All-Star in 2016. In 2022, Belt at last left the California team and signed a one-year, $9.3 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hunter Dozier - $7.5 million per year

As a member of the Kansas City Royals, Hunter Dozier gets paid $7,500,000 every year to play first base for the team. Dozier was drafted eighth overall by the Royals, as he showed great potential to be a solid power hitter to go along with strong fielding skills. He made his first start in the MLB on September 12, 2016. Since then, Dozier has hit for a .240 average, slugged 71 home runs, and contributed 226 RBIs.

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