Introduction

Derek Jeter is an American former professional baseball player with an estimated net worth of $200 Million.

Jeter played his entire 20-season Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees. He retired with a .310 batting average, hitting 3,465 times for 260 home runs. During his career, Jeter earned $266.3 million, equivalent to an average annual salary of $13.32 million.

Quick Facts

• Earned $266.3 million during his MLB career
• Peak annual salary of $27 million in 2001
• The most valuable contract was a 10-year, $189 million deal with the New York Yankees in 2001

Net Worth History

After playing consistently for the New York Yankees for 20 years, Derek has amassed a sizeable fortune as a professional sportsman. By carefully investing his substantial earnings, he has created significant wealth.

Here’s a breakdown of Derek Jeter’s annual net worth:

• 2017 – $150 million
• 2018 – $160 million
• 2019 – $175 million
• 2020 – $190 million
• 2021 – $205 million
• 2022 – $200 million

MLB Career

The Yankees drafted Derek as a first-round pick in 1992. Unfortunately, starting in the minor league Class A, he didn’t perform very well, committing 21 mistakes in 58 games. But he knuckled down, and, with plenty of practice, Derek started to up his game.

In 1993, the South Atlantic League named him one of the “Most Outstanding Major League Prospects.” Three years later, Derek started playing shortstop for the Yankees. In 1998, the Yankees won the World Series with Derek on their team.

During a 1999 game against the Braves, he created a reputation for himself, which secured the Yankees another World Series victory. Derek earned a reputation as one of the premier postseason hitters in the game of baseball. In the 2000s, Derek was named the Most Valuable Player in both the All-Star Game and the World Series.

After helping to win many games and collecting an armful of awards, Derek’s most memorable event happened in 2009, when Derek broke the record for 2674 hits by a shortstop in Major League history. Derek announced his retirement at the end of the 2014 season after suffering a severe ankle injury during the AL Championship Series.

MLB Salary & Contracts

Derek Jeter was loyal to the New York Yankees for the entirety of his career, initially signing with the team in 1992. He received an $800,000 signing bonus and spent several years in the minor leagues before joining Major League Baseball in 1995. At 21 years old, Jeter earned just $25,000 for his first official season. This was followed by several one-year, six-figure contracts, with his salary starting at $130,000 in 1996 and reaching $750,000 by 1998. 

Jeter completed two more single-season contracts from 1999 to 2000; however, it was during this period that his salary began to increase exponentially. The first deal guaranteed him $5 million, and this figure doubled to $10 million in 2000.

10-Year Contract Extension

Despite having to wait almost a decade, Derek Jeter finally signed his first long-term contract in 2001. The Yankees signed him to a ten-year, $189 million extension, pushing his average annual salary up to $18.9 million. Jeter received a significant chunk ($27 million) of this value in the first year, thanks to a $16 million signing bonus. His annual salary then increased over time, starting at $13 million in 2002 and reaching $21 million by 2010. Jeter secured the full $189 million of the contract’s value.

Additional Contracts

Following his $189 million deal, Jeter re-signed with the Yankees for the 2011 season, under a $51 million, three-year contract. The agreement did include a fourth-year option, but the shortstop eventually renegotiated. He secured a $12 million paycheck for his final MLB season before retirement.

In a professional baseball career spanning eighteen years, Derek Jeter earned a total of $266.3 million in salary and bonuses. Since retiring, he has primarily turned his attention to investments and real estate.

Miami Marlins Investment

On October 2, 2017, Jeter and venture capitalist Bruce Sherman were part of a group that bought the Miami Marlins for $1.2 billion. The previous owner, Jeffrey Loria, purchased the team for just $158.5 million in 2002, earning himself a significant profit. In the deal, Jeter invested approximately $25 million of his own money for a 4% stake in the team, while Sherman became the principal owner with a stake of around 46%. Former NBA player Michael Jordan was also one of several smaller investors in the team.

Following the close of the deal, Jeter became the Chief Executive Officer and public face of the franchise, making the Marlins one of the few MLB organizations to be led by a former player in this way. Jeter quickly made changes to the Marlins, starting in December 2017 when he approved the trade of Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees, saving $295 million in future salary. Jeter continued to reduce the payroll by trading MLB stars such as Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, and J.T. Realmuto for more affordable players.

Although Jeter was the CEO and face of the Miami Marlins, his 4% stake meant that he didn’t have majority control over major financial decisions. Instead, that responsibility lay with Sherman, who, in 2022, reports suggested that he had promised to invest $15 million in several players, but this investment never materialized. Reports indicated there were problems in the leadership team, which was confirmed on February 28, 2022, when Jeter announced his resignation.

He released a statement saying there had been too many differences in the vision for the franchise’s future. Jeter then sold his stake back to the ownership group for $44.8 million in the same year, making an estimated profit of $20 million, but never fully achieving the goals he had set for the Marlins.

Real Estate

Derek Jeter is passionate about real estate and has invested a substantial portion of his fortune in four large mansions. His house in Tampa is worth approximately $7.7 million, while his property in Greenwood Lake, New York, was listed for $14.75 million in 2018. He also owns a corner penthouse worth $20 million in New York.

Philanthropy

Apart from his investments and property deals, Derek is also focused on giving back to the community. He is well-known for his charity work. He founded the Turn 2 Foundation in 1996 and has motivated countless individuals, helping them to turn away from drugs and alcohol and instead create a healthier, more purpose-driven lifestyle.

Personal Life

Derek lives in Miami with his wife, Hannah Jeter, a famous model. They have three daughters: Story Grey Jeter, River Rose Jeter, and Bella Raine Jeter. Being Catholic is an integral part of Derek’s life, and he feels that his faith contributed to his success in baseball.

Introduction

Bill Maher is an American political talk show host with an estimated net worth of $140 Million.

Maher has worked as a commentator on numerous television networks, including FOX News and CNN. He is famously recognized for his comments on the popular talk show Politically Incorrect and as the host of ‘Real Time With Bill Maher.’ The talk show host has made quite a name for himself in the media, as he is often one to start controversy or speculation.

Early Career

Bill Maher began his career as an actor and comedian, serving as the host of Catch a Rising Star comedy club in New York City in 1979. In 1982, he began appearing on David Letterman and Johnny Carson’s shows, and had small roles on TV in the series “Sara,” “Max Headroom,” and “Murder, She Wrote.” 

Maher made his film debut in 1983 in D.C. Cab, followed by appearances in Ratboy, House II: The Second Story, and Newhart. All of this helped Maher establish a name for himself, allowing him to cultivate an incredibly successful career of his own. 

Politically Incorrect 

Bill Maher became the host of Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher in 1993 and, on the show, he interviewed a diverse array of guests. While celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld were frequent guests, Maher also included political pundits, authors, news figures, and consultants. This show earned numerous awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Technical Direction and a Genesis Award for Best Television Talk Show. 

Maher himself also earned several nominations, including ten Emmy nominations, two Writers Guild nominations, and two TV Guide nominations. However, in 2002, ABC decided not to renew the series after Maher made controversial remarks after the September 11th attacks in New York City. 

That said, those remarks weren’t the first from the show to spark controversy, and when everything added up, the show was canceled in June 2002. A few days after the cancellation, Maher received the Los Angeles Press Club President’s Award for “championing free speech.” 

Real Time with Bill Maher

A year after the cancellation of Politically Incorrect, Bill Maher became the host, co-producer, and co-writer for Real Time with Bill Maher. This weekly talk show debuted on HBO, and in 2016, it was renewed through 2018 for its 16th season. 

Like his previous show, Maher kicks off Real Time with an opening monologue before delving into an interview with a special guest. He then talks with two to three panelists, consisting of writers, actors, politicians, journalists, or pundits, to discuss that week’s events. 

Real Time with Bill Maher has garnered widespread praise for its format and has earned over ten Primetime Emmy Awards and six Writers Guild Awards.  Maher and his co-producers also earned the Television Producer of the Year award from the Producers Guild of America in 2007. However, like his previous show, Maher has received backlash for some of his comments, such as when he questioned Stan Lee’s legacy following his death. 

New York Mets Investment

At the end of 2011, the New York Mets were facing severe financial difficulties as the team’s owners, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, had lost a considerable amount of money to Bernie Madoff’s infamous fraud scheme. In an effort to generate revenue, the pair conceived the idea of selling 12 ownership shares of the New York Mets. Each share was available for $20 million, with each one representing approximately 4% of the team.

It was then, in early 2012, that Maher, a lifelong Mets fan, bought his share and became a part-owner of the team. At that time, the Mets were valued at just under $720 million, including debt, and the money from the minority investors helped to secure the team’s financial future. However, owning a piece of The Mets came with responsibility, and during the ten years that he held minority ownership, Maher was involved in several rounds of capital calls.

In 2020, the pandemic raised a challenging time for the team, resulting in a drop in revenue to $107 million compared to $362 million in the previous year. While the Mets were unable to sell tickets, Maher and other shareholders found themselves paying out far more than they received in return. Thankfully, in November 2020, Steve Cohen purchased a controlling stake in The Mets for $2.4 billion. The acquisition was one of the most significant sales ever in Major League Baseball history. Maher and the other minority investors then found that their original $20 million investments had tripled in estimated value to $60 million, thanks to the incredible price.

However, by early 2021, Maher decided that he no longer wanted ownership in the team and cashed out his share, pocketing approximately $40 million in profit, describing it as one of the best decisions he had ever made.

Additional Ventures

Along with hosting his own shows, Bill Maher is a frequent commentator on prominent news networks, including CNN, MSNBC, HLN, and Fox News. 

In 2013, he became an executive producer for the HBO series Vice and offered to donate $5 million to charity if Donald Trump would release his birth certificate. While Trump produced his birth certificate in response, he then launched a lawsuit against Maher after he didn’t pay $5 million, though it was ultimately withdrawn. 

Maher started the podcast Club Random in 2022, where he hosts one-on-one interviews with guests at his home, discussing a wide range of topics but avoiding politics. In 2024, he revealed that he’d interviewed Kanye West but decided not to air the episode following the rapper’s antisemitic remarks.

Introduction

Alex Rodriguez is an American former professional MLB player and investor with an estimated net worth of $350 Million. 

Rodriguez played 22 seasons of Major League Baseball for three teams: the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers. He retired with a .295 batting average, hitting 3,115 times for 696 home runs. A-Rod earned approximately $455.2 million from salary and bonuses, translating to an average annual salary of $20.69 million.

Quick Facts

• Earned $455.2 million during his MLB career
• Peak annual salary of $35 million in 2011
• The highest career earnings in MLB history
• Signed two separate contracts worth over $250 million each

MLB Career

The Seattle Mariners selected Alex Rodriguez in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft and signed him to a three-year contract worth $1.3 million. He made his professional debut in 1994 as a minor league player for the Appleton Foxes before being promoted to the Jacksonville Suns. 

In July 1994, he debuted in the major leagues as a starting shortstop, the third 18-year-old to hold the position since 1900. The following year, he took over as the Mariners’ regular shortstop and led the American League with a .358 batting average. Rodriguez remained with the Mariners until 2000, when he became a free agent and was recruited by one of the richest MLB teams, the Texas Rangers. 

The Texas Rangers

With the Rangers, Alex Rodriguez signed the most lucrative contract in sports history, worth $252 million over 10 years, equivalent to $428 million today. Although the Texans were in last place in the division, Rodriguez’s hitting numbers significantly improved their standing. During his first season, he enjoyed one of the top offensive seasons for a shortstop, leading the league with 52 home runs. That year, he also won his first Golden Glove Award and the Babe Ruth Home Run Award for leading the MLB in homers. 

The 2003 season was meant to be his last with the Rangers, and he was going to be traded to the Boston Red Sox. However, the deal fell through, and in 2004, he was traded to the Yankees, where he transitioned to third base, as Derek Jeter was the team’s shortstop. 

The New York Yankees

In 2004, Alex Rodriguez was elected to the American League All-Star Team, but his team lost the ALCS to their rivals, the Red Sox. He won his second AL MVP Award in 2005, becoming the fifth player to win it with two different teams. Shortly after, he was named an All-Star and hit his 2,000th hit six days before his 31st birthday, which also marked his 450th home run. 

Rodriguez appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2007 before earning his 14th career grand slam. The same year, he became the first player in MLB history to have 35 home runs, 100 runs, and 100 RBIs in 10 consecutive seasons. At the end of the season, he opted out of his contract and became a free agent before he could hash out another contract. Under his new contract, which included multimillion-dollar incentives for milestones, he finished the 2008 season strong. 

Injuries and Scandals 

Rodriguez was set to represent the Dominican Republic in the 2009 World Baseball Classic but withdrew due to a cyst on his hip. He then discovered he had a torn labrum and underwent surgery and a nine-week recovery period, after which he started spring training. 

In 2010, Rodriguez became the seventh player in history to hit 600 homers, and in September, he hit his 30th homer of the season. The following year, he underwent surgery on his knee and then, in 2012, suffered from a non-displaced fracture that landed him on the disabled list. After more surgery, he played with the Yankees’ Class A affiliate, the Charleston RiverDogs, but soon sustained another injury. 

When he returned to the Yankees in 2013, he was immediately suspended due to the Biogenesis baseball scandal. Although he missed the 2014 season, he returned with an apology in 2015 and had an overall solid season. 

A Post-Baseball Career

Alex Rodriguez played his final season in 2016 and announced he’d remain a special advisor to the Yankees owner the following year. The same year, he became a guest judge on Shark Tank and signed a deal with ABC to become a contributor. He also served as an MLB analyst for FOX Sports and earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sports Personality of the Year. 

In 2018, he hosted “Back in the Game,” a show that focused on athletes like Evander Holyfield as they attempted to regain their form. Most recently, he appeared in The Captain, a 2022 miniseries that showcased Derek Jeter’s life and career, as well as their friendship and fallout.

MLB Salary & Contracts

Despite being out of the game for several years, Alex Rodriguez still holds the record for the highest-earning player in MLB history. He earned a total of $455.2 million throughout his career, comprising both salary and bonuses. This figure was split across the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees, with the latter representing just under $345 million of his career earnings.

Early Career Contracts

In 1994, at just nineteen years old, the Seattle Mariners signed A-Rod to a three-year rookie contract worth $1.3 million. This included a $1 million signing bonus, which at the time was a significant sum for a player’s first contract.

At the end of his rookie period, Rodriguez signed a new three-year agreement with the Mariners, guaranteeing him $10.7 million. With most of the value being heavily weighted toward the end of the contract’s lifespan, he earned $1.1 million in his first year. His annual salary then increased by roughly $1 million per season, reaching $4.36 million by 2000. This concluded his time in Seattle, accounting for $12 million, or approximately 2.6% of his lifetime earnings.

Peak Career Earnings

When Alex Rodriguez signed with the Texas Rangers in 2001, he secured a record-breaking $252 million, ten-year contract. At the time, this was the highest-value contract ever signed in the sport’s history. In fact, the record remained unbroken for almost a decade until A-Rod decided to break it himself. We’ll get to that in just a second.

Under the contract, Rodriguez played the first three seasons with the Rangers, earning an average annual salary of roughly $19.4 million. Following this period, he was traded to the New York Yankees, and the Rangers agreed to pay $67 million of his remaining salary. This money was deferred and later paid out annually from 2011 to 2013. Hence, A-Rod earned a total of $98.2 million with the team, despite only playing with them for three seasons.

By 2007, Alex Rodriguez’s annual salary had reached $24.7 million. He opted to void the final three years of his deal and negotiate a new $275 million, ten-year agreement with the Yankees. His salary eventually peaked at $33 million per year in 2009 and 2010. Rodriguez opted for retirement at the end of the 2015 season, finishing his career with $455.2 million in earnings. At the time of writing, only one other player in Major League Baseball (Justin Verlander) has exceeded $400 million in career earnings.

Real Estate

Coral Gables Homes

In May 2010, Alex Rodriguez paid $7.4 million for a 1.11-acre plot of land on North Bay Road in Miami Beach, Florida. He constructed a 19,861-square-foot, nine-bedroom home on the property and listed it for sale at $38 million in August 2012. A deal was finalized for $30 million in May 2013. 

In July 2013, Rodriguez paid $2.69 million for a 1.46-acre lot in Coral Gables. He then built a 10,427-square-foot, six-bedroom, eight-bathroom home. The property is worth an estimated $11.5 million based on recent estimations. However, how much Rodriguez spent constructing either of these two homes is unknown.

Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Alex Rodriguez’s career:

• Most Home Runs By A Player Of Hispanic Descent (Since 1994)
• Battling Champion (1996)
• Doubles Leader (1996)
• World Baseball Classic Participant for the United States (2006)
• Youngest Ever to Hit 500 Home Runs (2007)
• American League Champion (2009)
• World Series Champion (2009)