What is Mike Piazza’s Net Worth?
Mike Piazza, a former professional baseball catcher, has a net worth of $70 million. He played in the MLB for 16 seasons from 1992 to 2007, notably for the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers. Piazza briefly played for the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, and Oakland Athletics as well. He is considered one of the greatest offensive catchers in history and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Mike Piazza’s Career Earnings
Mike Piazza earned $120 million in salary alone during his career. He also earned millions more from endorsements. His highest single-season salary was $16 million, which he earned in 2005 while playing for the Mets. Adjusted for inflation, that would be equivalent to earning around $22 million today.
Early Life and Career
Mike Piazza was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on September 4, 1968. He grew up in Phoenixville with four brothers and attended Phoenixville Area High School. Piazza’s first introduction to professional baseball came when he served as a bat boy for the Los Angeles Dodgers, which was managed by his father’s friend Tommy Lasorda. At the age of 12, Piazza received batting instruction from Hall of Famer Ted Williams in his backyard batting cage. After graduating from high school in 1986, Piazza attended the University of Miami but transferred to Miami-Dade Community College due to lack of playing time on the Hurricanes baseball team.
Mike Piazza’s MLB Career
In the 1988 MLB amateur draft, Piazza was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers after his father asked Lasorda to pick him as a favor. Piazza made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1992, appearing in just 21 games that season. He was far more successful the next year, winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award and being selected to the MLB All-Star Game for his first of 10 consecutive appearances.
Piazza’s best season with the Dodgers came in 1997, when he batted .362, made 40 homers, and recorded 124 RBI.
Mike Piazza’s Career Highlights
After seven seasons with the Dodgers, Piazza was traded to the Florida Marlins in May 1998 but was quickly traded to the New York Mets after playing only five games. He helped the Mets reach two consecutive playoff appearances in 1999 and 2000, ultimately leading the team to a National League pennant and a World Series appearance in 2000.
During Game 2 of the World Series, Piazza’s bat broke and sent shrapnel towards Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens. The incident caused tempers to flare, but no altercation occurred. Despite the incident, the Yankees won the championship in five games.
Piazza played in the first professional baseball game in New York following the 9/11 attacks, hitting a game-winning home run in the eighth inning. The jersey he wore during that game was later sold for $365,000, the highest price ever paid for a modern-day jersey. Piazza also caught two no-hitters in games against the Dodgers and surpassed Carlton Fisk for the most homers by a catcher in 2004, with 352.
Piazza’s Final Seasons in MLB
Following his final season with the Mets in 2005, Piazza signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres. He had a successful season in 2006, batting .283 and scoring 22 homers, helping the Padres clinch a division title. In July of that year, he achieved his 2,000th career hit in the MLB. The following season, Piazza signed with the Oakland Athletics as a free agent. During the early part of the season, he hit his 427th major league homer, which turned out to be his last.
In 2008, Piazza was not signed to any MLB team, prompting him to announce his retirement. In September of that year, he returned to Shea Stadium and received the final pitch in the history of the stadium.
Piazza’s Career in Baseball and Soccer
Mike Piazza became the manager of the Italian National Baseball team in 2019 for both the 2020 European Baseball Championship and the 2021 World Baseball Classic. He previously served as the team’s hitting coach and was an instructor for the Italian Baseball Academy during its back-to-back wins in the European Baseball Championships. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the former championship.
Aside from baseball, Piazza owned the Italian soccer club A.C. Reggiana for two seasons. Unfortunately, the team folded in 2018 due to mounting costs and a lack of buyers following the controversial loss of player Robur Siena.
Mike Piazza’s Personal Life and Musical Interests
In 2005, Mike Piazza married Playboy Playmate Alicia Rickter and they have three children together, including two daughters and one son. Piazza is a fan of heavy metal music and has been featured on Black Label Society’s album “Stronger Than Death.” He has also cohosted “Friday Night Rocks” on New York City’s WAXQ radio station and made guest appearances on the talk program “That Metal Show.” Additionally, Piazza is a drummer and has performed on stage with various groups.
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