Highest-paid players in 2026: Cody Bellinger ranks second in MLB

Before the start of the 2025 season, Cody Bellinger was traded to the Yankees. The outfielder, who had revived his career with the Cubs, was coming off a contract… and the Yankees saw an opportunity to acquire him to make up for the loss of Juan Soto.

Or, at least, to partially make up for it.

And clearly, the gamble paid off: Bellinger had a breakout season during which he became Aaron Judge's (reliable) right-hand man. It also put him in a strong position to negotiate his next contract, which he ultimately signed with the Yankees.

We're talking about a five-year, $162.5 million contract, which was a hefty sum. That said, it also came with a $20 million signing bonus and a structure where there was more money at the beginning of the contract than at the end.

This means that, in reality, Bellinger is earning $52.5 million this season. And according to a calculation by Forbes, which analyzed all players' earnings this year (both on-field and off-field), Bellinger is the second-highest-paid player in the league.

The only one ahead of him? Shohei Ohtani, who makes more than double that… even though his on-field salary is just $2 million.

The highest-paid players in baseball this season by combined on-field and off-field earnings

(via Forbes) pic.twitter.com/jwMTeo1sbz

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It's still remarkable to see that Bellinger is ahead of, among others, Aaron Judge, who is the captain and face of the New York franchise. It's worth noting, however, that it's been a few years since Judge signed his big contract… and that $40 million a year is almost a bargain in today's MLB for a player of his caliber.

Even Kyle Tucker and Juan Soto rank ahead of Judge, who, let's face it, has nothing to complain about.

Behind them, Bo Bichette, Zack Wheeler, Mike Trout, Jacob deGrom, and Gerrit Cole round out the top 10. And in reality, these aren't particularly surprising names.

It's also worth noting that of the 10, seven play for the Yankees, Dodgers, or Mets. And the other three teams (the Phillies, Angels, and Rangers) aren't exactly small-market teams either.

It's therefore somewhat unusual to see Bellinger in second place, but it's worth noting that he will most likely be excluded from the top 10 next year since he won't have another $20 million signing bonus.

Will Tarik Skubal, the big fish on the free-agent market next winter, replace him? We'll find out in a few months.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.