"Mike Trout has made certain decisions, and that affects the profile" - When MLB commissioner Rob Manfred threw shade at Angels superstar

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, yet he also faces criticism for not utilizing his stature to market himself as well as the game. Even MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred had once knocked the three-time MVP on "The Dan Patrick Show," stating his choice of lifestyle does not allow him to fulfill his marketing potential.

"Mike has made certain decisions, and that affects his profile about how he wants to play and what he wants to do with the rest of his life, and that affects the profile you're going to have," Manfred had said during an interview with the veteran sportscaster in July 2018.

"If you want to be the most famous player, as well as being probably the best, there are certain things that you have to devote time to. That's a lifestyle choice for players," he added. "Having said that, I do think it's really important for the sport broadly defined to market its players. The game is about the players."

In 2019, Mike Trout penned a 12-year, $426 million extension with the Los Angeles Angels, the largest contract in American sports at the time. As a result, Trout also became the highest-paid MLB player, while he earned another $2.5 million off the field that year, as per The New York Times. Yet, his total earnings were nowhere close to the superstars of other sports, such as Lionel Messi and LeBron James.

Still, Mike Trout remains one of the best-paid position players in the major leagues with an annual salary of about $37 million. Besides, he has his own line of shoes for Nike, and he also holds an exclusive deal with baseball card manufacturer Topps since 2014 for his autograph. Trout has also had sponsorship agreements with Subway, Rawlings and Land Rover.

Shohei Ohtani dwarfs Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout in endorsement earnings

Mike Trout reportedly earned $5million from endorsements in 2024 (Image Source: IMAGN)

Despite being ravaged by repeated injuries in recent years, Mike Trout remains one of the most popular superstars of the MLB, aside from being one of the best-paid. Yet, his total earnings pale in comparison with fellow three-time MVP and former Los Angeles Angels teammate Shohei Ohtani.

According to a report by Sportico, the Japanese superstar was the top earner in the MLB last year with a total income of $67 million even though the Los Angeles Dodgers paid him just $2 million in salary due to deferrals on his contract. The $65 million that Ohtani collected from endorsements in 2024 was more than double what the rest of the top 15 combined had earned.

Meanwhile, Bryce Harper had the highest earnings from commercial deals for MLB players from the US ($7 million), followed by Aaron Judge ($6 million) and Mike Trout ($5 million).