On Thursday night, when Major League Baseball and the Baseball Writers Association of America unveiled the 2024 MVP Award winners, there was more than one reason to celebrate. While New York Yankees’ slugger Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers’ sensation Shohei Ohtani were unanimously named the Most Valuable Players in the American and National Leagues, respectively, Arizona Diamondbacks’ second baseman Ketel Marte had cause to celebrate too.
Marte finished third in the National League MVP race, trailing only Ohtani and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. His strong showing in the voting will translate into a significant financial boost, thanks to a performance-based clause in his contract. As per the extension he signed with the Diamondbacks in March 2022, Marte’s base salary for the 2025 season is set to rise from $16 million to $19 million, thanks to the contract’s incentive structure. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Marte’s deal guaranteed a $2 million increase for finishing between fourth and seventh place in MVP voting, and a $3 million boost if he secured a third-place finish or higher.
While Ohtani and Judge are the two highest-paid position players in baseball, with Ohtani securing a historic $700 million contract and Judge inking a $360 million deal, neither of the 2024 MVP winners are expected to see any additional bonuses for their achievements. However, Lindor, who finished second in MVP voting, will receive a modest $25,000 bonus for his efforts.
Marte’s 2024 campaign was nothing short of spectacular, as he posted a career-best .292/.372/.560 slash line, hitting 36 home runs and stealing seven bases. His impressive contributions led to an estimated 6.8 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball-Reference. This is the second time Marte has earned MVP Award consideration, with his first being in 2019 when he finished fourth after contributing 6.9 Wins Above Replacement.
With his contract extension running through 2027 (with a club option for 2028), there’s a chance that Marte could again find himself in the MVP conversation, potentially earning even more financial rewards in the future.