What Is Scott Hatteberg's Net Worth?
Scott Hatteberg is an American former first baseman and catcher for Major League Baseball (MLB) who has a net worth of $7 million. Scott Hatteberg played in MLB from 1995 to 2008, primarily as a catcher with the Boston Red Sox before transitioning to first base with the Oakland Athletics – a move famously portrayed in "Moneyball." Originally a solid defensive catcher, his career changed after developing nerve damage in his throwing elbow. Billy Beane and the A's signed him in 2002, converting him to first base, where he became known for his high on-base percentage and patient approach at the plate. He finished his career with the Cincinnati Reds, retiring with a .273 batting average, 106 home runs, and a .361 on-base percentage. Hatteberg was portrayed by Chris Pratt in the movie "Moneyball."
Career Earnings
Scott Hatteberg earned a total of $14 million in salary over his major league career. His highest earning years were in 2004 and 2005 with the Oakland Athletics, in which he made $2.3 million and $2.45 million, respectively.
Early Life
Scott Allen Hatteberg was born on December 14, 1969, in Salem, Oregon. He played Little League and Pony League as well as American Legion baseball as a youth. Hatteberg graduated from Eisenhower High School in Yakima in 1988, where he was MVP of the baseball and basketball teams and also lettered in football.
Scott attended Washington State University, where he played college baseball for the Cougars. The Cougars won the Pac-10 North all three years. He was captain and MVP in 1991. Hatteberg played college summer baseball in the Alaska Baseball League in 1989 and 1990. He was a member of the U.S. National baseball team at the 1990 Goodwill Games. Hatteberg hit a home run in a game against the Mexican national baseball team and batted .292/.346/.417 for Team USA in the 1990 Baseball World Cup.
MLB Career
The Boston Red Sox selected Hatteberg with their third pick in the 1991 draft. He made his debut with the team in 1995 and became the first player in MLB history to hit a triple play and then hit a grand slam in the next at-bat. The bat used for that game is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In his last season with the team, Scott ruptured a nerve in his elbow, which impaired his ability to throw and put his career in jeopardy. Hatteberg was traded to the Colorado Rockies but then denied arbitration making him a free agent.
The Oakland Athletics, led by General Manager Billy Beane, signed Hatteberg to a one-year, $950,000 base contract with incentives and asked him to play first base since he had difficulty throwing due to his elbow injury. In a highlight of his career, on September 4, 2002, Scott came in to pinch hit in a game in which the Athletics had blown an 11-0 lead. The Royals tied the game 11-11 by the time he came to bat in the bottom of the ninth with one out. With a 1-0 pitch count, Hatteberg smashed a walk-off homerun, giving the A's a 12-11 win and setting the American League win streak record at 20. The Cleveland Indians broke that win streak in 2017 when they went to 22 win straight wins.
Scott helped Oakland reach the playoffs twice (2002 and 2003) as an everyday player, hitting 49 home runs and batting .269 from 2002 to 2005.
Hatteberg signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Cincinnati Reds in 2006 to help improve their defense. He was eventually replaced, at first, by Joey Votto and relegated to pinch-hitting. In May 2008, Scott was designated for assignment.
Over 14 seasons in Major League Baseball, Hatteberg hit .273 with 106 home runs, 527 runs batted in, and finished his career with a .992 fielding percentage at first base and catcher.
(Photo by Brad Mangin /MLB via Getty Images)
Personal Life
Scott and his wife, Elizabeth (nicknamed "Bitsy"), have three daughters, Lauren, Sophia, and Ella. The couple resides in Gig Harbor, Washington.
After his retirement in 2008, Hatteberg became a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations for the Oakland Athletics. He has also substituted for Ray Fosse as the Oakland A's color commentator on TV broadcasts for a number of games during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
