What is David Wright's Net Worth and Salary?
David Wright is an American former professional baseball player who has a net worth of $75 million. David Wright, AKA "The Captain," played third base for the New York Mets for all of his 16-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career. He had a decorated career before injuries limited his playing time leading to his retirement. After retiring, Wright accepted the position of special advisor in the Mets front office.
Early Life
David Allen Wright was born on December 20, 1982, in Norfolk, Virginia. He grew up a fan of the Mets due to his proximity to the Class AAA Norfolk Tides whose stadium was ten minutes from his house. David started playing baseball and taking lessons at a young age and played for Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. He was the Gatorade Virginia High School Player of the Year and the Virginia All-State Player of the Year in 2001. He committed to play college baseball at Georgia Tech before his senior year of high school. As a high school senior, Wright batted .538.
MLB Career
David Wright was selected by the New York Mets in the 2001 amateur draft and decided to skip college and sign with the organization. He played for three years in the minor leagues, playing for the St. Lucie Mets, Binghamton Mets, and Norfolk Tides. In 2004, Wright made his major league debut as a starting third baseman. This Year in Baseball Awards named him the Rookie of the Year. He was a seven-time All-Star (2006-2010, 2012, 2013) and won two Gold Glove Awards (2007, 2008) as well as two Silver Slugger Awards (2007, 2008).
Wright went on to become one of the most beloved players in Mets history and is the franchise's all-time leader in career plate appearances and holds several other position player records for the organization. Wright was named captain of the Mets in 2013 becoming just the fourth captain in the team's history. Wright is the third player to play in at least 10 MLB seasons and play his entire career with the New York Mets. The latter half of his career was plagued by injuries and he missed significant time between 2015 and 2018. He announced 2018 would be his final season as an active player and later joined the Mets front office as a special advisor.
David Wright finished his career with a batting average of .296 to go along with 242 home runs and 970 runs batted in.
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Contracts & Career Earnings
In 2007, Wright signed a six-year, $55 million contract with the New York Mets. In 2013, he inked an eight-year deal with the organization worth $138 million.
Over his 16-season MLB career, David Wright earned more than $194.1 million in salary alone.
Vitamin Water Windfall
In the early 2000s, David Wright was hired to endorse Vitamin Water. Similar to 50 Cent, in exchange for his endorsement, David received 0.5% of the company's equity. In 2007, Vitamin Water sold to The Coca-Cola Company for $4.1 billion. This netted him around $20 million.
Personal Life
David Wright married model Molly Beers in December 2013. The couple has two daughters and a son together. They have maintained homes in Manhattan, Manhattan Beach, California, and Chesapeake, Virginia.
Wright published his memoir, "The Captain," in October 2020. He created the David Wright Foundation to increase awareness and raise money for multiple sclerosis and various projects related to the disease.
