Ken Griffey Jr. came home in February 2000. The Cincinnati Reds brought him back to his hometown with a 9-year, $117 million guaranteed contract — the biggest deal of his career and one of the most unusual structures of its era.
His Biggest Contract
- Team: Cincinnati Reds
- Signed: February 10, 2000
- Length: 9 years
- Seasons covered: 2000–2008
- Total guaranteed value: $117 million
- Average annual value: $12.9 million
How the Deal Was Structured
The contract ran from 2000 through 2008 at an average of $12.9 million per year — but it was anything but standard. Griffey agreed to defer a significant portion of his earnings to make the trade from Seattle financially workable for Cincinnati. That decision had a long tail: the Reds paid him roughly $3.6 million per year from 2009 through 2024, long after he hung up his cleats.
In 2022 and 2023 — fourteen and fifteen years after his last game in a Reds uniform — Griffey still appeared among the team’s highest-paid players on the payroll. It’s the kind of fine print that makes this contract a recurring conversation in baseball finance circles.
The Fine Print
Deferred money is what sets this deal apart. Griffey negotiated to receive his earnings in two phases: active-career payments during his playing days, then a stream of income stretching all the way to 2024. Sources differ slightly on the exact initial figure — some cite $112.5 million, others $116.5 million — but all agree the deferred portion was substantial. Cincinnati took on a long-term financial obligation in exchange for landing its hometown hero.
Where Griffey Ranks Among MLB’s Biggest Contracts
Despite the $117 million headline number, Griffey’s deal doesn’t crack the all-time top contracts lists. The agreement was negotiated in 2000, when salaries were considerably lower than they’d become in later decades, and dozens of contracts since have surpassed it in both total value and average annual value. For its time, though, it was an elite deal that reflected his standing as one of the best players in the game.
His Path to This Contract
Griffey broke into the majors with the Seattle Mariners in the late 1980s and spent a decade there becoming one of the best outfielders of his generation. By the time he turned 30, his hometown was calling. The Reds made it happen — and the structure Griffey agreed to made sure it could.
Career Earnings
In total, Griffey collected $152 million in MLB salary through 2026 — a figure that includes the deferred payments Cincinnati sent his way years after his retirement. That number covers base salary, signing bonuses, and earned bonuses. It does not include endorsements or any income from outside the United States.
