What is Cole Hamels's Net Worth and Salary?
Cole Hamels is an American professional baseball player who has a net worth of $105 million. Cole Hamels is probably best known for playing in the MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies. During his ten-year tenure with the team, he won the 2008 World Series and was named the tournament's MVP. Hamels later played for the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs, and briefly for the Atlanta Braves. At the peak of his career, Cole Hamels was one of the highest paid players in baseball AND one of the highest paid athletes in the world with a salary that routinely topped $22+ million. In 2021 Cole signed a 1-year, $1 million deal with the Dodgers that also would have paid $200k per state. Unfortunately Cole injured himself just 12 days into the season. And since the contract was fully guaranteed, Cole earned $1 million essentially for no work.
Career Earnings
During his career, Cole Hamels has earned $210 million in salary alone. He has earned tens of millions more from endorsements.
Early Life and High School
Cole Hamels was born on December 27, 1983 in San Diego, California as the eldest of three children. After attending Meadowbrook Middle School, he went to Rancho Bernardo High School, where he excelled both athletically and academically. Hamels drew the attention of scouts due to his impressive fastball, with his best coming in at 94 miles per hour.
Career in the Minors
Hamels was drafted right out of high school in the 2002 MLB draft, chosen in the first round by the Philadelphia Phillies. He started his professional playing career the next year in the minors, pitching for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic League. Hamels was soon promoted to the Clearwater Threshers of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League. His success garnered him the Paul Owens Award for being the best pitcher in the Phillies' minor league system. However, over the subsequent two seasons, Hamels pitched only occasionally due to a number of injuries, including a broken pitching hand caused by a bar fight. Upon his return, he played again for Clearwater before being promoted to the Class AA Reading Phillies. Partway through the 2006 season, Hamels was promoted to the Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons.
Rich Schultz/Getty Images
Philadelphia Phillies, 2006-2008
In the spring of 2006, Hamels was called up to the majors to make his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies. He made his mark immediately, pitching five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit in his first game. Hamels ultimately finished his rookie season with a 9-8 record and 145 strikeouts. His 2007 season was an improvement in nearly every way, marked early on by his first major league complete game. He finished the regular season with a 15-5 record and 177 strikeouts, and helped lead the Phillies to their first playoff appearance in 14 years.
Hamels had his greatest season with the Phillies in 2008. In May, he posted his first career complete game shutout. Finishing the regular season, he had a 14-10 record with 196 strikeouts, once again securing the Phillies a spot in the NLDS. The team won Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers, giving Hamels his first career playoff victory and the first for the Phillies in 15 years. Moving on to the NLCS, the Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers. Finally, at the World Series, the team took out the Tampa Bay Rays in seven games, with Hamels being named the MVP.
Philadelphia Phillies, 2009-2015
Following a start to the 2009 season plagued by injuries, Hamels bounced back to record two complete game shutouts. The Phillies ultimately advanced to the NLDS for the third consecutive season, and then to the NLCS, where they once again beat the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the World Series, the team fell to the New York Yankees. The Phillies made it to the NLDS for a fourth straight year in 2010 after finishing the regular season with the best record in the MLB. Helped along by Hamels's complete game shutout in Game 3 against the Cincinnati Reds, the Phillies advanced to the NLCS, where they lost to the San Francisco Giants. In 2011, for the second year in a row, the Phillies finished the regular season with the best record in the league. The team ultimately fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS.
Hamels had an up-and-down 2012, marked by both his first career home run and a five-game suspension for intentionally hitting the Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper with a pitch. He finished the season with career highs in wins, with 17, and strikeouts, with 216. Hamels had an inferior 2013, but came back strong in 2014 to pitch six innings of a combined no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves. He recorded another no-hitter in 2015 against the Chicago Cubs in what would be his final start for the Phillies.
Texas Rangers
Midway through the 2015 season, Hamels was traded to the Texas Rangers. He went on to help lead the team to the AL West title, which was claimed on the final day of the season. In the ALDS, the Rangers fell to the Toronto Blue Jays. The following year, Hamels achieved some major milestones, including his 2,000th career strikeout. He had a less favorable season in 2017 due to injury. In 2018, his final season with the Rangers, Hamels went 5-9 in 20 starts.
Chicago Cubs
Hamels was traded to the Chicago Cubs midway through the 2018 season. He had a highlight in August with a complete game against the Reds. For his final season as a Cub in 2019, Hamels went 7-7 in 27 starts.
Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers
As a free agent, Hamels signed with the Atlanta Braves in late 2019. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he didn't play for the team until the summer of 2020. Hamels ultimately only made one start during the shortened season. In August of 2021, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but failed to play for the team due to injury.
Personal Life and Charity
On New Year's Eve in 2006, Hamels wed reality television star Heidi Strobel, a contestant on the sixth season of "Survivor." Together, they have four children: two biological sons and a daughter as well as an adopted daughter from Ethiopia.
In 2009, Hamels and his wife created a foundation to fund childhood programs in Philadelphia and Africa.
In 2017, the couple donated their $9.4 million mansion in Branson, Missouri to the Christian charity Camp Barnabas.
