Major League Baseball (MLB) is the leading professional baseball league in North America and ranks among the oldest sports organizations globally. Established in 1903, it consists of 30 teams split into two leagues: the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). Each league is categorized into three divisions, East, Central, and West. Teams in MLB face off during a regular season comprised of 162 games, followed by a postseason then the World Series, determining which team claims the title of best in baseball.
With its rich heritage and tradition, MLB boasts legendary teams such as the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers. It is the second-highest-grossing professional sports league worldwide by revenue, trailing only behind the National Football League (NFL). Baseball matches are available on television, radio, and online platforms across North America and various other regions. In terms of total attendance throughout a season, MLB leads all sports leagues globally; in 2023 alone, it attracted over 70.75 million fans.
MLB Worth
Major League Baseball (MLB) is valued at approximately $79 billion, positioning it as one of the world's most valuable sports leagues, the average valuation for an MLB team ranges from $2.4 billion to $2.64 billion, according to Sportico. A Forbes report released in March 2024 indicates that the average worth of an MLB franchise has increased by four percent over the past year, now sitting at around $2.4 billion.
These valuations are driven by strong revenue streams such as broadcasting rights, ticket sales, merchandising, and sponsorship agreements.
The New York Yankees hold their position as the most valuable franchise within MLB at an estimated value of $7.55 billion; however, teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox also rank among the top three franchises based on valuation. Despite differences in market size and profitability across teams, MLB franchises have experienced steady growth over time. The growth is supported by the league’s long-term media contracts, licensing agreements, and expansion of the fanbase through international outreach.
In 2023, the league reported total revenues of $11.34 billion, translating to about $378 million generated per team on average.
Below is a detailed breakdown of the valuations and revenue of all 30 MLB teams as of 2024:
| RANK | TEAM | CURRENT VALUE | REVENUE | STATE/PROVINCE |
| 1 | New York Yankees | $7.55 B | $679 M | New York |
| 2 | Los Angeles Dodgers | $5.45 B | $549 M | California |
| 3 | Boston Red Sox | $4.5 B | $500 M | Massachusetts |
| 4 | Chicago Cubs | $4.22 B | $506 M | Illinois |
| 5 | San Francisco Giants | $3.8 B | $443 M | California |
| 6 | New York Mets | $3 B | $393 M | New York |
| 7 | Philadelphia Phillies | $2.92 B | $458 M | Pennsylvania |
| 8 | Atlanta Braves | $2.8 B | $473 M | Georgia |
| 9 | Los Angeles Angels | $2.7 B | $388 M | California |
| 10 | St. Louis Cardinals | $2.55 B | $372 M | Missouri |
| 11 | Houston Astros | $2.42 B | $445 M | Texas |
| 12 | Texas Rangers | $2.4 B | $425 M | Texas |
| 13 | Seattle Mariners | $2.2 B | $396 M | Washington |
| 14 | Toronto Blue Jays | $2.1 B | $328 M | Ontario |
| 15 | Chicago White Sox | $2.05 B | $288 M | Illinois |
| 16 | Washington Nationals | $2 B | $355 M | District of Columbia |
| 17 | San Diego Padres | $1.78 B | $345 M | California |
| 18 | Baltimore Orioles | $1.73 B | $328 M | Maryland |
| 19 | Milwaukee Brewers | $1.6 B | $320 M | Wisconsin |
| 20 | Colorado Rockies | $1.48 B | $313 M | Colorado |
| 21 | Minnesota Twins | $1.46 B | $342 M | Minnesota |
| 22 | Detroit Tigers | $1.45 B | $306 M | Michigan |
| 23 | Arizona Diamondbacks | $1.43 B | $314 M | Arizona |
| 24 | Cleveland Guardians | $1.35 B | $315 M | Ohio |
| 25 | Pittsburgh Pirates | $1.32 B | $309 M | Pennsylvania |
| 26 | Cincinnati Reds | $1.25 B | $315 M | Ohio |
| 27 | Tampa Bay Rays | $1.25 B | $301 M | Florida |
| 28 | Kansas City Royals | $1.23 B | $302 M | Missouri |
| 29 | Oakland Athletics | $1.2 B | $241 M | California |
| 30 | Miami Marlins | $1 B | $295 M | Florida |
Which MLB franchise is worth the least?
The franchise with the lowest valuation in Major League Baseball is the Miami Marlins, currently valued at $1 billion as of 2024, as per Sportico. Even though they hold this position in terms of value, the Marlins continue to achieve stable revenue, bringing in around $295 million in 2023. This comparatively low market value can be linked to various factors such as a smaller market size, reduced attendance numbers, and a less local media contracts compared to larger franchises.
FAQs on MLB
A. There are 30 teams in Major League Baseball, with 15 teams in the American League (AL) and 15 teams in the National League (NL).
A. The current commissioner of MLB as of 2024 is Rob Manfred, who has held the position since 2015.
A. The New York Yankees are the most valuable MLB franchise, with a current valuation of $7.55 billion.
A. MLB reported a total revenue of $11.34 billion in 2023, corresponding to an average revenue of roughly $378 million per team.
A. The New York Yankees generated the highest revenue among MLB teams, totaling $679 million in 2024.
