What is Jayson Werth's Net Worth and Salary?
Jayson Werth is an American Major League Baseball player who has a net worth of $60 million. A right fielder, Jayson Werth played 15 seasons in the MLB between 2002 to 2017. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1997 and made his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2002. Werth played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2004 to 2005 before joining the Philadelphia Phillies from 2007 to 2010. With the Philadelphia Phillies, he won the 2008 World Series and set a franchise postseason record with nine home runs in the 2009 postseason. Werth also played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals, and finally for the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers.
In 2011, Werth signed a 7-year, $126 million contract with the Washington Nationals. At the time it was the 14th-largest contract in baseball history. During his time with the Nationals from 2011 to 2017, he was a vital part of the team's success, helping them win the NL East division title in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017. Werth was known for his powerful hitting, strong throwing arm, and leadership both on and off the field.
During his career, Werth was selected to one All-Star game (2009) and won one Silver Slugger Award (2013). He finished his career with a .267 batting average, 229 home runs, and 799 RBIs.
Career Earnings
During his baseball career, Jayson earned $136 million in salary. In his final four seasons, 2014 – 2017, he earned $20 million in salary per year.
Early Life and Education
Jayson Werth was born on May 20, 1979 in Springfield, Illinois into an athletic family. His mother Kim was a track and field star, while his father Jeff was a former football and baseball player. Werth's uncle Dick Schofield, his grandfather 'Ducky' Schofield, and his great-grandfather John Schofield were all MLB players. Shortly after Werth's birth, his parents separated. His mother went on to remarry in 1984 to MLB player Dennis Werth. From his stepfather, Jayson became passionate about baseball, and at the age of seven began playing competitively with the Springfield Flame youth team. He also played baseball at Glenwood High School in Chatham, Illinois.
Career Beginnings in the Minors
In the 1997 MLB draft, Werth was chosen by the Baltimore Orioles. He began his professional playing career in the minors with the Gulf Coast League Orioles. Werth struggled with some health issues during his time with the team due to the Florida heat, and ultimately appeared in only 32 games during the 1997 season. The next season, he mostly played with the Delmarva Shorebirds, batting .265 with 53 RBI in 120 games. Werth finished the season appearing in five games with the Bowie Baysox. In 1999, he started out with the Frederick Keys before returning to the Baysox. Werth played for those teams again in 2000.
In late 2000, Werth was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. After starting the 2001 season with the Florida State League's Dunedin Blue Jays, he was promoted to the Southern League's Tennessee Smokies. With the Smokies, he batted .285 with 18 home runs and 69 RBI in 104 games. In 2002, Werth was promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse SkyChiefs of the International League, and batted .257 with 18 home runs and 82 RBI in his 127 games for the team.
Toronto Blue Jays
Werth was called up by Toronto to make his MLB debut on the first of September, 2002. In 46 at-bats that season, he hit .261 with six RBI. Due to a wrist injury, Werth began the 2003 season with the Dunedin Blue Jays and then the Syracuse Chiefs. He returned to Toronto toward the end of April, but spent the remainder of the season alternating between the majors and the minors. In his 26 MLB games in 2003, he batted .208 with two home runs and 10 RBI.
Los Angeles Dodgers
In 2004, Werth was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent nearly two months on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle before he was activated in early June. Werth made a significant impact in his first season as a Dodger, batting .262 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI in 89 regular-season games. He went on to help the Dodgers win the NL West title and advance to the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade. Ultimately, the team lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 NLDS. The next season, despite more time on the disabled list, Werth played 102 games and batted .234 with seven home runs and 43 RBI. During the offseason, he underwent multiple surgeries to repair injuries. As a result, Werth missed the entirety of the 2006 season. The Dodgers subsequently declined to offer him a contract for the 2007 season.
Philadelphia Phillies
In late 2006, Werth signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He went on to have a strong season in 2007, leading the Phillies with a .340 batting average and a .959 OPS through August and September. Werth finished the regular season with a .298 batting average with eight home runs and 49 RBI as the Phillies won the NL East. Back in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, the Phillies were swept by the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 NLDS. The next season, Werth batted .273 with 24 home runs and 67 RBI as the Phillies once again reached the NLDS. This time, the team won. The Phillies subsequently defeated the Dodgers in the NLCS to advance to the 2008 World Series, where they beat the Tampa Bay Rays in five games to win their first World Series title in 28 years.
In the 2009 regular season, Werth batted .268 with career highs of 36 home runs and 99 RBI to help the Phillies reach the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The team proceeded to defeat the Rockies in the NLDS and the Dodgers in the NLCS to advance to the World Series for the second consecutive year. Despite Werth's strong performance, the Phillies lost the 2009 World Series to the New York Yankees in six games. Werth had another solid season in 2010, batting .296 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI. For the fourth consecutive year, the Phillies reached the playoffs, sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in the NLDS before falling to the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS. After the season, Werth became a free agent.
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Washington Nationals
In late 2010, Werth signed a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals. Despite the skepticism of Nationals fans and sportswriters, he finished his first season on the team with a respectable .232 batting average with 20 home runs and 58 RBI. Plagued by injuries in the 2012 season, Werth batted .300 with five home runs and 31 RBI. The Nationals reached the 2012 NLDS, but were defeated by the Cardinals in five games. Although hamstrung by injuries again in 2013, Werth had one of his greatest career seasons, winning NL Player of the Month for July and recording his 1,000th career hit. He finished the 2013 season with a .318 batting average, 25 home runs, and 82 RBI. In 2014, Werth once again won NL Player of the Month for July. He finished the regular season with a .292 batting average, 16 home runs, and 82 RBI as the Nationals advanced to the NLDS. The series was ultimately won by the Giants.
Due to a number of injuries, Werth was limited to just 88 games in the 2015 season. He finished with a .221 batting average, the lowest of his career since 2004. Werth fared better in 2016, batting .244 with 21 home runs and 69 RBI in 143 games as the Nationals reached the NLDS for the second consecutive year. In the series, the Dodgers defeated the Nationals in five games. Beset by injuries again in 2017, including a bad fracture in his left foot, Werth batted .226 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI in just 70 games. The Nationals made it back to the NLDS for the third consecutive year, but this time were defeated by the Chicago Cubs in five games.
Tacoma Rainiers and Retirement
In 2018, Werth signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers. He ultimately played in 36 games for the team, batting .206 with four home runs before a hamstring injury sent him to the disabled list in early June. Later that month, Werth announced his retirement.
Post-retirement
After retiring from baseball, Werth started working as an organic farmer in his home state of Illinois. He also became a consultant to other farmers, and launched a horse racing stable called Two Eight Racing.
Personal Life
In early 2000, Werth married his high school sweetheart Julia. Their eldest son, Jackson, played college baseball at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Horse Breeding
Jayson Werth is the part owner of a champion horse called Dornoch, the brother of the 2023 Kentucky Derby champion Mage. He and his partners bought Dornoch in 2022 for $325,000. Dornoch won the 2024 Belmont Stakes. Jayson owns 10% of Dornoch.
Real Estate
In 2011, a few months after signing his 10-year $126 million Nationals contract, Jayson paid $6.55 million for a 15,000-square-foot mansion set on 3.82 acres in McLean, Virginia. He listed this mansion for sale in 2019 for $8 million. He ultimately accepted $5.7 million in late 2021. Here's a video tour:
