How Justin Verlander Achieved a Net Worth of $85 Million

Justin Verlander is a Major League Baseball player who gained notoriety and a great deal of attention in November of 2017. This was a bright and shining moment in the career of the talented starting pitcher who earned his first World Series ring that year as the Astros emerged as winners of the 2017 World Series, gaining a victory over the LA Dodgers. We recently learned that his current net wealth is estimated to be at $85 million. Many of us were wondering how he became so incredibly wealthy. Was it from his career in baseball alone or did he have other financial interests that helped in amassing such a huge fortune. We looked into his history and here is what we discovered.

His early years

Justin was born an raised in Manakin-Sabot Virginia on February 20, 1983. His dad was the president of the Communications Workers of America, Richmond, Virginia chapter. He saw to it that Justin was sent to the Richmond Baseball Academy where one fastball that he pitched was recorded at 84 mph, and he developed two special fastball pitches for which he is known. In time these two pitches would result in speeds better than 90 mph and over 100 mph. This talent for pitching would ultimately lead to winning multiple awards including The Sporting Player of the Year, the AL TSN Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year and Most Outstanding American League Pitcher from Players Choice. His brother Ben, went on to become an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers.

Justin’s career

His professional career began in 2004, when Verlander signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers as the team’s second overall choice in the 2004 MLB Draft. He made his playing debut in the 2005 playing season with the Tigers after spending two minor league teams including the Erie Seawolves, ranked as an AA team and the Lakeland Flying Tigers, an A+ team. He received the Rookie of the Year award, and secured a seven year contract with the Tigers valued at $180 million prior to the 2013 baseball season, which elevated him to the status of the highest paid pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball. Pitching two no-hitter games and winning the Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards in 2011 only made him more valuable as a pro baseball pitcher.

In 2016, his estimated net worth was about $60 million. During this time in his life, he became engaged to a supermodel for Sports Illustrated, Kate Upton. In addition to his sweet contract with the Tigers, he also brought in a sizable amount of income from his endorsements and it was estimated that he was hauling in around $30 million a year when his pro baseball salary and endorsements were combined for the 2017-2018 season.

Big changes for Verlander

There were some big changes coming for Verlander in 2017. The Detroit Tigers made the fateful decision to trade him to the Houston Astros. This was a fateful decision that would work very much in Justin’s favor. He thrived as a member of the Astros team, and he signed a contract that runs through 2019, but there was also a clause in the contract with the Astros that gives in a 2020 vesting option, contingent upon doing well in voting for Cy Young. Out of five starts with the Houston Astros, Verlander won all of them. He went on to achieve another impressive record as a member of the team. In 2018, his net worth was estimated to be at about $80 million and we can see a steady progression in the amount of his wealth post taxes on the millions that he’s earning annually.

Verlander’s current net worth

The professional baseball pitcher is estimated to have a net worth of $85 million as of 2019. His performance may have taken a bit of a down turn when he was signed with the Detroit Tigers, but after being traded to the Astros, we’ve seen him return to form and he’s once again performing to his potential. This was a good move for the pro baseballer and it’s showing in his game. Achieving a World Series win the the Astros over the Dodgers was a pinnacle in his pro career, but this could just be the beginning of yet many more years to come.

How did Justin Verlander become so incredibly rich?

After checking into his impressive history as a professional pitcher in Major League Baseball, it’s clear that he’s been fortunate in signing some of the biggest contracts in the history of the league. The bulk of Mr. Verlander’s income has come from his salary as a member of the Detroit Tigers team, then as a pitcher for the Houston Astros. He’s a multiple award-winning player, which helps when it comes to earning the bonuses which are contingent upon performance during any given season. Although we don’t have the particulars on his current contract with the Astro’s we’ve learned that his salary alone is equal to $28 million per year. There are bonuses and endorsements to consider as well, so he’s still a high earner and we have yet to hear about what his 2020 contract will yield.

Final thoughts

Justin Verlander is a talented professional who has made an amazing career out of his abilities. He has earned fame, recognition and incredible wealth through his associations with Major League Baseball. He’s a phenomenal player and has earned his first World Series victor ring. He owes much of his current success to his own inherent abilities, but he also had a supportive father who made sure that he made it to the baseball academy to further develop his pitching ability. He also owes a portion of his success to the fans who support him through attendance at games and ticket sales, and to the MLB.