David Ortiz is the former Boston Red Sox slugger, who many of you might know by the nickname “Big Papi”. Ortiz retired from baseball after the 2016 season. Throughout his historic career, he grew into one of the most popular and likable players in the league.
Ortiz made his professional debut in 1997 as a member of the Minnesota Twins. He would only play for two teams throughout his 20-year career. The second team being the Boston Red Sox. In Boston is where Ortiz saw his career took a meteoric rise. So, how much is this future Hall of Famer worth?
David Ortiz Net worth as of 2018: $45 Million
Ortiz obtained his wealth through his baseball contracts and endorsements. It was Ortiz’s infectious personality that brought in his many endorsement opportunities. Not to mention how incredibly accomplished he was on the baseball field. It did not take long for Ortiz to become not only a Red Sox legend, but an MLB legend as well.
Early life and minor league career
David Ortiz was born in the Dominican Republic on November 18, 1975. Ortiz is the oldest of four children. He is the son of Enrique Ortiz and Angela Rosa Arias. Ortiz’s father Enrique who went by the name “Leo” was the primary influence in getting David to fall in love with the game of baseball. Leo was a baseball player himself, having played in the Dominican pro and semi-pro leagues.
Growing up David Ortiz would attend the Dominican pro league baseball games and through this grew a love and understanding of the game. He was greatly influenced by the Dominican stars Ramon Martinez and younger brother Pedro Martinez. If you’re wondering if the Pedro Martinez I mentioned is the Hall of Fame pitcher and former teammate of Ortiz in Boston, you would be correct.
Ortiz signed his first deal at the age of 17 with the Seattle Mariners organization. He would then go on to play 4 seasons in the minors before eventually getting his call-up to the big leagues in 1997. In those 4 seasons his batting avg. was above .300 in 3 of them and his power numbers grew drastically. It was evident Ortiz was destined to be a force at the plate and haunt pitchers nightmares.
Minnesota Twins 1997-2002
Ortiz got his first professional action at the age of 21 for the Minnesota Twins in 1997. During the ’97 season, Ortiz played in 15 games and did not have quite the impact he expected of himself. The sample size was small though, and Ortiz’s confidence never wavered.
The following season saw Ortiz get more action with 326 plate appearances. Ortiz showed flashes of power but was still adjusting to the professional game at just 22 years-old. It wasn’t until the 2000 season that Ortiz would play in 100+ games. His stat line for the season was a .282 batting avg. to go along with 10 home runs and 63 RBI. Over the next two seasons, 2001 and 2002, Ortiz saw a dip in his batting avg., but a steady climb in the home run category. After the 2002 season, the Twins would ship Ortiz off to the Boston Red Sox.
Boston Red Sox 2003-2016
The change in scenery from Minnesota to Boston was what Ortiz needed. This was a match made in the baseball heavens. Ortiz was quickly embraced by the team and the fan-base. His big personality made him a quick fan favorite.
In his first season with Boston Ortiz saw a massive jump in his offensive output. He posted a staggering 31 home runs and 101 RBI. He finished 5th in MVP voting, and the Red Sox made it all the way to the ALCS. This was the season that saw the rise of Big Papi and would eventually propel him into Boston lore.
Over his career with the Red Sox Ortiz finished in the top 10 of MVP voting 7 times. He would be the catalyst for 3 World Series championships, during which he became one of the most clutch hitters in baseball history. His estimated career earnings from his baseball contracts are $160,197,500. He also earned money from his endorsements with MasterCard, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Buffalo Wild Wings over the course of his career.
Through his on-field success and off the field endeavors it is clear as to how Ortiz was able to build such a massive net worth.
