What is Rob Manfred's Net Worth and Salary?
Rob Manfred is an American lawyer and business executive who has a net worth of $40 million. Rob is best known for serving as the 10th commissioner of Major League Baseball. Previously, he served as the MLB's chief operating officer and was centrally involved in years of collective bargaining between players and the league. As Commissioner, Manfred led the investigation into the Houston Astros' 2017 sign stealing scandal, and oversaw proposals of updated season protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He succeeded Bud Selig to become commissioner on January 25, 2015 after being unanimously chosen in August 2014.
Salary
What is Rob Manfred's salary as commissioner of Major League Baseball? Major League Baseball pays Rob Manfred an annual salary of $11 million.
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Early Life and Education
Rob Manfred was born on September 28, 1958 in Rome, New York to Rob Sr., who led the local division of the company Revere Copper and Brass, and Phyllis, who taught third grade. He has an older sister and a younger brother. Manfred was heavily involved in sports growing up, particularly tennis, baseball, and golf. As a teenager, he went to Rome Free Academy, from which he graduated in 1976. He subsequently attended Le Moyne College in DeWitt, New York before transferring to Cornell University, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1980. Manfred went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1983.
Career Beginnings
Following his graduation from Harvard Law, Manfred spent a year clerking for Judge Joseph L. Tauro of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. After that, he did work in labor and employment law at the Washington, DC law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.
MLB, 1987-2013
Manfred first worked with the MLB during collective bargaining in 1987. Later, during the strike of 1994-95, he worked as an outside counsel for the owners. Manfred joined the MLB on a full-time basis in 1998 as the Executive Vice President of Economics and League Affairs. In that position, he negotiated the league's first drug-testing agreement with the MLB Players Association in 2002, and represented the league in negotiations with the Players Association during collective bargaining in 2002, 2006, and 2011. Manfred also led the MLB's investigation of the Biogenesis scandal in 2013, which involved accusations of players using performance-enhancing drugs.
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Commissioner of Baseball
At the end of 2013, Manfred was promoted to the position of MLB chief operating officer by Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig. The following year, Manfred was chosen by MLB owners to succeed Selig as the new Commissioner. He assumed office in January of 2015, and said that he would focus on youth outreach, player relations, and technological advances in the field of play. Manfred aimed especially to quicken the pace of play during television broadcasts of games, working to reduce the time of commercial breaks and limit player visits to the pitcher's mound. Additionally, he began advocating for league expansion by naming such cities as Portland, Charlotte, Nashville, and Vancouver as places for possible new franchises.
Houston Astros Sign Stealing Scandal
One of Manfred's most notable acts as Commissioner of Baseball was leading the investigation into the Houston Astros' sign stealing scandal, which had taken place during the team's World Series-winning 2017 season. He ended up fining the team $5 million for the infractions; revoking its first- and second-round draft picks in both 2020 and 2021; and suspending Astros manager A. J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow for the entirety of 2020. However, Manfred refused to discipline the players themselves or vacate the Astros' World Series title, earning him criticism from the media.
COVID-19
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Manfred oversaw the MLB's first proposal for the imminent season, which involved a reduction of the largest salaries in the league by more than 75%. The proposal was immediately repudiated by the Players Association. Manfred later proposed a 60-game season with an expanded postseason and no provisions for salary guarantees if the season were to be canceled; this was also rejected. A third proposal for a 72-game season and an 80% pro-rated pay was likewise rejected. Ultimately, in June, Manfred imposed a 60-game regular season that gained approval by franchise owners.
Personal Life
With his wife Colleen, Manfred has four children named Megan, Michael, Mary, and Jane.
