Mike Piazza Net Worth

Mike Piazza, a former professional baseball catcher, has a net worth of $70 million. Piazza played for 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1992 to 2007. He is best known for his time with the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, though he also had brief stints with the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, and Oakland Athletics. Regarded as one of the greatest offensive catchers in baseball history, Piazza was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Mike Piazza Salary

Throughout his MLB career, Mike Piazza earned $120 million in salary alone, with additional tens of millions from endorsements. His highest single-season salary was $16 million in 2005 with the Mets, equivalent to about $22 million today after adjusting for inflation.

Early Life

Mike Piazza was born on September 4, 1968, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, to Veronica and Vince Piazza. He has four brothers: Vince Jr., Dan, Tony, and Tom. Growing up in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, he attended Phoenixville Area High School. Piazza’s first experience with professional baseball came when the Los Angeles Dodgers, managed by his father’s friend Tommy Lasorda, visited Philadelphia, and he served as a bat boy. At age 12, he received batting instruction from Hall of Famer Ted Williams.

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After graduating high school in 1986, Piazza moved to Florida to attend the University of Miami but transferred to Miami-Dade Community College after not getting any playing time with the Hurricanes baseball team.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Piazza was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 MLB amateur draft as a favor to his father from Tommy Lasorda. Lasorda helped Piazza attend a special training camp in the Dominican Republic to hone his skills. Piazza made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1992, playing 21 games with a .232 batting average. He significantly improved the following year, batting .318 with 35 home runs, winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award, and making the first of his ten consecutive MLB All-Star appearances. His best season with the Dodgers came in 1997, when he batted .362, hit 40 home runs, and had 124 RBIs.

Marlins and New York Mets

In May 1998, Piazza was traded to the Florida Marlins and then to the New York Mets after playing only five games for the Marlins. With the Mets, Piazza had some of his best seasons, helping the team reach the playoffs in 1999 and 2000 and leading them to a National League pennant and the World Series in 2000. A memorable moment in the Series occurred when Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens threw a broken bat shard toward Piazza, leading to a heated exchange.

Piazza played a significant role in the first professional baseball game in New York after the 9/11 attacks, hitting a game-winning home run that became a symbol of hope. His jersey from that game was later sold for $365,000, the highest amount for a modern-day jersey. During his time with the Mets, Piazza caught two no-hitters and surpassed Carlton Fisk for the most home runs by a catcher with 352.

Final Playing Years

After leaving the Mets in 2005, Piazza signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres in 2006, batting .283 with 22 home runs and helping the team win a division title. He signed with the Oakland Athletics in 2007, where he hit his final major league home run. Piazza announced his retirement in 2008 after not being signed by any MLB team.

International Sports

In 2019, Piazza became the manager of the Italian National Baseball team for the 2020 European Baseball Championship and the 2021 World Baseball Classic, although the former was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, he served as the team’s hitting coach and was an instructor for the Italian Baseball Academy.

Piazza also owned a majority stake in the Italian soccer club A.C. Reggiana but sold the team in 2018 due to mounting costs and a lack of buyers, leading to the club’s closure.

Personal Life

In 2005, Piazza married Playboy Playmate Alicia Rickter. They have three children: daughters Nicoletta and Paulina and son Marco. Piazza is a heavy metal music fan, having appeared on Black Label Society’s album “Stronger Than Death” and co-hosted “Friday Night Rocks” on New York City’s WAXQ radio station. He has also performed as a drummer on stage with various groups.

Mike Piazza Net Worth

Mike Piazza net worth is $70 million.