Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Tops MLB Endorsements List, And It Isn’t Close
Shohei Ohtani's star power is among the rarest in sports, and it's paying off financially for the Dodgers' designated hitter.
Not only is Ohtani raking in endorsement deals, he is by far the leading MLB earner in endorsement money this year. According to Sportico, Ohtani is first with $65 million in endorsement earnings.
After Ohtani, Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper comes in second. Harper makes $58 million less than Ohtani in endorsements this year, with $7 million total.
Coming in after Harper is New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, with $6 million in endorsements. Ohtani's teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout rank fourth, each with $5 million from endorsements.
While that is still a great amount of earnings, it's a giant drop-off from what Ohtani makes, and a testament to Ohtani-mania. He is an international baseball icon with followers and fans across the globe, so it's no wonder that brands want to work with Ohtani.
It also explains why Ohtani's $2 million deferred salary is no problem. Though Ohtani signed a $700 million deal when he joined the Dodgers, he deferred $680 million of it for the 2034 season and beyond.
With all he's earning in endorsements, Ohtani is making more in endorsements than any player is making from their salary, even with Yamamoto making $55 million and Judge earning $40 million in salary.
While Ohtani will eventually receive the money from his record-breaking contract, he is doing just fine for now with all of his advertising deals.
