Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011)

This article lists the highest paid baseball players measured by 2011 salaries, according to data variously culled from Yahoo! Sports and spotrac. Monies earned from endorsements are not included in each player's earnings.

The median 2011 salary, age, and experience of these players are $18,312,500, 33-years-old, and 10.5 years, respectively.

By position, eleven of the highest paid players are infielders, eleven are starting pitchers, eight are outfielders, and one is a relief pitcher.

After reading "Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011)," return to these links to read "Highest Paid Football Players (2011)," "Highest Paid Basketball Players (2011)," and "Highest Paid Hockey Players (2011)."

1. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Alex Rodriguez

MLB Team: New York Yankees
Position: 3B
Age: 36
Experience: 17 years
2011 salary: $32,000,000

2. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Vernon Wells

MLB Team: Los Angeles Angels
Position: CF
Age: 32
Experience: 12 years
2011 salary: $26,187,500

3. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): CC Sabathia

MLB Team: New York Yankees
Position: SP
Age: 31
Experience: 10 years
2011 salary: $24,285,714

4. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Mark Teixeira

MLB Team: New York Yankees
Position: 1B
Age: 31
Experience: 8 years
2011 salary: $23,125,000

5. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Joe Mauer

MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Position: C
Age: 32
Experience: 11 years
2011 salary: $23,000,000

6. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Johan Santana

MLB Team: New York Mets
Position: SP
Age: 32
Experience: 12 years
2011 salary: $21,644,707

7. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Todd Helton

MLB Team: Colorado Rockies
Position: 1B
Age: 38
Experience: 14 years
2011 salary: $20,275,000

8. (tie) Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Roy Halladay

MLB Team: Philadelphia Phillies
Position: SP
Age: 34
Experience: 13 years
2011 salary: $20,000,000

Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Ryan Howard

MLB Team: Philadelphia Phillies
Position: 1B
Age: 31
Experience: 7 years
2011 salary: $20,000,000

Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Miguel Cabrera

MLB Team: Detroit Tigers
Position: 1B
Age: 28
Experience: 8 years
2011 salary: $20,000,000

9. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Carlos Beltran

MLB Team: San Francisco Giants
Position: RF
Age: 34
Experience: 13 years
2011 salary: $19,325,436

10. (tie) Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Carlos Lee

MLB Team: Houston Astros
Position: 1B/LF
Age: 35
Experience: 12 years
2011 salary: $19,000,000

Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Alfonso Soriano

MLB Team: Chicago Cubs
Position: LF
Age: 35
Experience: 12 years
2011 salary: $19,000,000

11. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Carlos Zambrano

MLB Team: Chicago Cubs
Position: SP
Age: 30
Experience: 10 years
2011 salary: $18,875,000

12. (tie) Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Barry Zito

MLB Team: San Franscisco Giants
Position: SP
Age: 33
Experience: 11 years
2011 salary: $18,500,000

Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Torii Hunter

MLB Team: Los Angeles Angels
Position: RF
Age: 36
Experience: 14 years
2011 salary: $18,500,000

13. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Jason Bay

MLB Team: New York Mets
Position: LF
Age: 33
Experience: 8 years
2011 salary: $18,125,000

14. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Ichiro Suzuki

MLB Team: Seattle Mariners
Position: RF
Age: 37
Experience: 10 years
2011 salary: $18,000,000

15. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Josh Beckett

MLB Team: Boston Red Sox
Position: SP
Age: 31
Experience: 10 years
2011 salary: $17,000,000

16. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): A.J. Burnett

MLB Team: New York Yankees
Position: SP
Age: 34
Experience: 12 years
2011 salary: $16,500,000

17. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Matt Holliday

MLB Team: St. Louis Cardinals
Position: LF
Age: 31
Experience: 7 years
2011 salary: $16,317,774

18. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Michael Young

MLB Team: Texas Rangers
Position: DH/Infielder
Age: 34
Experience: 11 years
2011 salary: $16,174,974

19. (tie) Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Roy Oswalt

MLB Team: Philadelphia Phillies
Position: SP
Age: 34
Experience: 10 years
2011 salary: $16,000,000

Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Jake Peavy

MLB Team: Chicago White Sox
Position: SP
Age: 30
Experience: 9 years
2011 salary: $16,000,000

20. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): John Lackey

MLB Team: Boston Red Sox
Position: SP
Age: 32
Experience: 9 years
2011 salary: $15,950,000

21. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Prince Fielder

MLB Team: Milwaukee Brewers
Position: 1B
Age: 27
Experience: 6 years
2011 salary: $15,500,000

22. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Chase Utley

MLB Team: Philadelphia Phillies
Position: 2B
Age: 32
Experience: 8 years
2011 salary: $15,285,714

23. (tie) Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Derek Lowe

MLB Team: Atlanta Braves
Position: SP
Age: 38
Experience: 14 years
2011 salary: $15,000,000

Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Justin Morneau

MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Position: 1B
Age: 30
Experience: 9 years
2011 salary: $15,000,000

24. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Mariano Rivera

MLB Team: New York Yankees
Position: RP/CL
Age: 41
Experience: 16 years
2011 salary: $14,911,700

25. Highest Paid Baseball Players (2011): Carl Crawford

MLB Team: Boston Red Sox
Position: LF
Age: 30
Experience: 9 years
2011 salary: $14,857,142

Source(s):

"MLB Team Rosters," Yahoo! Sports
"Top Base Salaries," spotrac