Professional baseball players have two far-reaching goals for their careers: winning a World Series title and reaching the Hall of Fame.
The first is the goal of any team sport — capturing a championship. But as careers grow longer, players seek the approval of their peers and a greater stature in the game, which is what the Hall of Fame signifies.
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The players on this list are some of the greatest in history, and came up in an era when salaries were skyrocketing. Hence, their astounding net worths.
Although induction into Cooperstown is no doubt priceless, the feat certainly has paid off for these players.
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Last updated: May 20, 2021
15. Jeff Bagwell
Bagwell, who was famously traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Houston Astros in 1990, became one of the greatest first baseman of his generation. The 1994 NL MVP finished his career with a .297 batting average, 2,314 hits and an impressive 449 home runs.
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14. Iván Rodríguez
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Net Worth: $65 million
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Hall of Fame Class: 2017
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Years Played: 1991-2011
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Team(s) Played For: Texas Rangers (1991-2002, 2009), Florida Marlins (2003), Detroit Tigers (2004-2008), New York Yankees (2008), Houston Astros (2009), Washington Nationals (2010-2011)
Considered one of the greatest catchers of all time, Rodríguez won the AL MVP with the Rangers in 1999 and the World Series with the Marlins in 2003. A career .296 hitter, “Pudge” combined his prowess behind the plate (45.7% caught stealing percentage) with a powerful bat (311 home runs).
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13. Roy Halladay
Halladay was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era, winning two Cy Young Awards and eight All-Star nods. He threw a perfect game in 2010, as well as a no-hitter in the postseason. Halladay died in 2017 when the plane he was piloting crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.
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12. Pedro Martínez
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Net Worth: $70 million
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Hall of Fame Class: 2015
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Years Played: 1992-2009
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Team(s) Played For: Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-1993), Montreal Expos (1994-1997), Boston Red Sox (1998-2004), New York Mets (2005-2008), Philadelphia Phillies (2009)
Once considered a risky prospect because of his small frame, Martínez blossomed into one of the dominant pitchers of his era. He helped the Boston Red Sox end an 86-year championship drought, winning the 2004 World Series. Martínez became the 15th pitcher in MLB history to finish his career with more than 3,000 strikeouts.
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11. Mike Piazza
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Net Worth: $70 million
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Hall of Fame Class: 2016
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Years Played: 1992-2007
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Team(s) Played For: Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-1998), Florida Marlins (1998), New York Mets (1998-2005), San Diego Padres (2006), Oakland Athletics (2007)
Piazza was famously chosen 1,390th in the 1988 MLB draft as a favor from Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda to his father. He went on to become perhaps the greatest offensive catcher in history, with 12 All-Star appearances, a .308 batting average and 427 home runs.
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10. Mike Mussina
The pitcher nicknamed “Moose” was a five-time All-Star and finished 33rd in career victories with 270.
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9. Greg Maddux
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Net Worth: $70 million
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Hall of Fame Class: 2014
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Years Played: 1986-2008
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Team(s) Played For: Chicago Cubs (1986-1992, 2004-2006), Atlanta Braves (1993-2003), Los Angeles Dodgers (2006, 2008), San Diego Padres (2007-2008)
Maddux won more games than any other pitcher in the 1990s, leading to a record four consecutive Cy Young Awards. The control pitcher won the 1995 World Series with the Braves and finished with 355 wins, a 3.16 earned run average and 3,371 strikeouts.
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8. Cal Ripken Jr.
Ripken compiled an amazing profile, with a World Series in 1983, two AL MVPs, 3,184 hits and 431 home runs as he heralded an era of taller, more powerful shortstops. But Ripken is forever known as the “Iron Man” for breaking Lou Gehrig’s seemingly unbreakable record for consecutive games played. Ripken shattered Gehrig’s mark of 2,130, finishing with 2,632 straight games played.
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7. Tom Glavine
The crafty left-hander won two Cy Young Awards and a World Series in 1995, cementing himself as one of the best pitchers of the 1990s. Glavine earned 305 wins, becoming one of just six lefties to reach or surpass the 300 milestone.
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6. Jim Thome
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Net Worth: $80 million
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Hall of Fame Class: 2018
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Years Played: 1991-2012
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Team(s) Played For: Cleveland Indians (1991-2002, 2011), Philadelphia Phillies (2003-2005, 2012), Chicago White Sox (2006-2009), Los Angeles Dodgers (2009), Minnesota Twins (2010-2011), Baltimore Orioles (2012)
Thome never won a World Series or an MVP award, and he was only an All-Star five times in his career. But he was one of the best sluggers of his generation, finishing with 612 career home runs.
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5. Mariano Rivera
His list of accolades is long, as Rivera is considered the greatest closer in MLB history. He’s a 13-time All-Star, won five World Series titles and is the majors’ career saves leader with 652. Oh, and he was the first player ever elected unanimously to the Hall of Fame.
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4. Ken Griffey Jr.
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Net Worth: $90 million
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Hall of Fame Class: 2016
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Years Played: 1989-2010
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Team(s) Played For: Seattle Mariners (1989-1999, 2009-2010), Cincinnati Reds (2000-2008), Chicago White Sox (2008)
The player simply known as “Junior” was arguably one of the two greatest players of the 1990s, along with Barry Bonds. Griffey played the game with power and grace, compiling 630 home runs and 10 Gold Glove Awards. He became an icon with his dazzling smile and childlike enthusiasm for the game, inspiring legions of kids to wear their caps backward, as he would do during batting practice. Injuries in the second half of his career derailed what might have led to him being the overall home run leader.
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3. Randy Johnson
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Net Worth: $95 million
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Hall of Fame Class: 2015
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Years Played: 1988-2009
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Team(s) Played For: Montreal Expos (1988-1989), Seattle Mariners (1989-1998), Houston Astros (1998), Arizona Diamondbacks (1999-2004, 2007-2008), New York Yankees (2005-2006), San Francisco Giants (2009)
Nicknamed “The Big Unit,” the 6-foot-10-inch pitcher was a flame-throwing left-hander who won five Cy Young Awards and the 2001 World Series. Johnson’s 4,875 strikeouts place him second behind Nolan Ryan on the career strikeout list.
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2. Chipper Jones
Jones, a former No. 1 overall pick, helped the Braves to the 1995 World Series crown and won the 1999 NL MVP. He had a career battting average of .303, with 468 home runs and 1,623 RBIs (the most in a career for a third baseman). Jones is the only switch-hitter with a career average over .300 and more than 400 home runs.
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1. Derek Jeter
Now a part-owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins, Jeter stands in a group of the greatest Yankees of all time. The 14-time All-Star and five-time World Series winner had a .310 career batting average with 3,465 hits — good for sixth all-time. But Jeter’s contributions went beyond numbers, earning nicknames such as “Captain Clutch” and “Mr. November” for his postseason feats, including his .321 World Series batting average.
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Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates used Celebrity Net Worth’s “Top 50 Richest Baseball Players of All Time” and cross-referenced with Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame data to determine who among them have the highest net worth. For each qualifying player, GOBankingRates found (1) athlete’s name; (2) net worth; (3) year inducted into the Hall of Fame; (4) years played in the MLB; and (5) team(s) played for. All data was collected on and up to date as of May 6, 2021.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Are Derek Jeter and The 15 Richest MLB Hall of Famers Worth