Dave Parker

Selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 14th round of the 1970 MLB Draft, Dave Parker signed a $6,000 bonus to join the organization. He would rise through the minor league levels quickly, seeing his MLB contract purchased (for good) on July 12, 1973.

Parker would play on near-minimum salaries through 1978, earning an estimated $620,000 over that span, before he and the Pirates agreed to a then-historic 5 year contract extension that averaged over $1M per year. Based on reporting, the contract came with a $7.75 total value, but $5.625M of that was deferred from 1988-2007, lowering its present day value significantly.
Parker would play out the contract in its entirety, before signing a 2 year, $1.6M free agent contract to join the Cincinnati Reds in the winter of 1983.

He remained in Cincy for 4 seasons, earning over $3.7M during that span, before heading to Oakland in a trade for two prospects. After two seasons in the bay, Parker joined the Brewers on a 2 year, $3M free agent contract, spending one season in Milwaukee before a trade to California in 1991. The Angels released Parker out of the deal in early September, allowing him to join the Blue Jays for the final month of his career.

Spotrac is estimating that Dave Parker earned over $17.1M in his 19 year career.

CC Sabathia

The Cleveland Indians’ 1st Round (#20 overall) pick back in 1998 secured a $1.3M signing bonus to join the organization. C.C. Sabathia’s minor league tenure concluded after the 2000 season, as the Indians purchased Sabathia’s contract out of camp in April of 2001. Sabathia signed a 4 year, $9.5M extension prior to the 2002 season, buying out the remainder of his team control through 2006.

A 2 year, $17.5M extension kept him in Cleveland a little longer, but the Indians traded Sabathia to Milwaukee near the 2008 deadline for a 4-player package that included Michael Brantley.

The Yankees would pounce the following winter, locking in Sabathia to a 7 year, $161M free agent contract. He remained in the Bronx for the rest of his career, adding 1-year extensions of $30M, $10M, and $8M through 2019.

Spotrac is estimating that C.C. Sabathia earned $265M in his 19 year career.

Ichiro Suzuki

27-year-old Ichiro Suzuki signed a 3 year, $14M foreign professional contract with the Seattle Mariners after being posted by the Orix BlueWave of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan. Seattle paid a $13.25M posting fee to Orix as part of the deal. This first MLB contract came with a laundry list of attributes, including $7M cash deferred, a full no trade clause and significant awards/plate appearance incentives, turning a base value $14M contract into nearly $22M when all said and done.

The two sides avoided all arbitration years thereafter with a 3 year, $44M contract extension in the winter of 2003 that increased to $45.6M after factoring in earned incentives.

From there things got real, with Ichiro locking in a 5 year, $90M contract extension through 2012 that included $25M in deferred compensation, and standard award bonuses. He’d remain in Seattle for 4 of those seasons before being shipped to the Bronx, where the Yankees would extend the 38-year-old at 2 years, $13M.

41-year-old Suzuki then went on to spend 3 seasons in Miami, before returning to Seattle on a minor league contract that would see him into retirement before the start of the season.

Spotrac is estimating that Ichiro Suzuki earned over $178M in his 19 year career.

Billy Wagner

Drafted by Houston #12 overall back in 1993, Billy Wagner secured a $550,000 signing bonus to join the organization. His MLB contract would be purchased a little over 2 years later (September 13, 1995), putting him on track to take on a significant role beginning with the 1996 campaign.

Wagner played out near-minimum salaries through his pre-arbitration process, but locked in a 3 year, $10.3M contract in 1999 that bought out 3 of his first 4 years of arbitration control. A 3 year, $27M extension thereafter would take care of the final control year + 3 years of free agency with an exercised club option. Wagner spent the final two seasons of this contract in Philadelphia, where he was traded in exchange for 3 prospects following the 2003 campaign.

The Mets picked up 34-year-old Wagner in free agency on a 4 year, $43M contract that included award bonuses and a full no trade clause. Wagner would lift that clause to accept a trade to Boston at the 2009 waiver deadline where he would finish out the deal.

The Atlanta Braves added 38-year-old Wagner that winter on a 1 year, $7M free agent contract through the 2010 season. The deal included a $6.5M vesting option for 2011 that became fully guaranteed based on appearances. However, Wagner agreed to waive that guarantee in lieu of retirement, allowing the Braves to retain his rights should he opt for a comeback at any point in time.

Spotrac is estimating that Billy Wagner earned just under $95M in his 16 year career.