MLB's average salary increases to $5.34 million for 2026; Mets have baseball's highest payroll at $352 million
Juan Soto is earning MLB's highest individual average salary at $61.9 million.
Major League Baseball’s average salary increased to $5. 34 million for the 2026 season, according to a study by the Associated Press . That salary represents at 3.
4% increase from the $5. 16 million that MLB players averaged last year. Despite the uproar over the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spending during the offseason, the New York Mets actually have baseball’s highest payroll this year at $352 million.
(That’s actually less than the $355. 4 million that the team spent on player salaries in 2023. But the Mets’ 2026 figure is up from last year’s $322.
6 million payroll. ) The Dodgers rank second with a $316. 6 million payroll after winning back-to-back World Series champions.