Largest contracts in MLB history: Juan Soto signs with NY Mets, shatters Shohei Ohtani's $700M record

Slugger Juan Soto, one of the most coveted free agents ever to hit Major League Baseball's open market, has reportedly agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. As you would expect with a player as productive and as young as Soto is – he's still just 26 years of age – it'll be the most lucrative contract in baseball history by the time the ink dries.

EARlIER: Shohei Ohtani in November, 2023 that Japanese Star had signed a 10-year pact worth $700 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a decision that comes after he had intentionally kept his free-agent process to himself.

That deal is, as the headline suggests, the new higher water mark in Major League Baseball history, surpassing former Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout, who held the record for several years at $426 million.

Nevertheless, SportsHistori.com has decided to compile the 10 biggest contracts in MLB history, as determined by their total value.

What are the biggest contracts in MLB history (by total value), Top 10 List

Ohtani's deal is the biggest in MLB history in terms of total value -- and it's not particularly close.

He slots in well ahead of his former teammate, Mike Trout, atop the list. Behind Ohtani and Trout, the list includes Ohtani's new teammate Mookie Betts, Aaron Judge and Manny Machado. Here's the entire top 10:

1. Juan Soto, New York Mets: 15 years, $765 million (free agent)

2. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers, DH/SP: $700 million over 10 years

3. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angles, OF: $426.5 million over 12 years

4. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B/OF: $365 million over 12 years

5. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees, OF: $360 million over 9 years

6. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres, 3B: $350 million over 11 years

7. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets, SS: $341 million over 10 years

8. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres, SS/OF: $340 million over 14 years

9. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies, 1B/OF: $330 million over 13 years

T-10. Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins (traded to Yankees), DH/OF: $325 million over 13 years

T-10. Corey Seager, Texas Rangers, SS: $325 million over 10 years

The biggest contract for a pitcher belongs to Gerrit Cole, who signed a nine-year, $324 million deal with the Yankees before the 2020 season.

Ohtani set the record (and then some) barely a year ago, a mammoth contract for a two-way player the likes of which MLB had never seen before. Now Soto holds that honor, a $765 million pact with the Mets the likes of which MLB has never seen before. Is this the new normal, a record-setting contract every winter? Probably not. But suffice to say, there's plenty of money to go around.

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