The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar and phenom Shohei Ohtani has added another milestone to his already historic career. For the third year in a row, Ohtani led all Major League Baseball players in jersey sales, MLB and the MLB Players Association announced Friday.
The achievement places Ohtani in elite company. Since MLB began tracking sales in 2010, only Derek Jeter (2010–12), Aaron Judge (2017–19), and teammate Mookie Betts (2020–22) had previously led three straight years.
The way Ohtani has climbed to the top has been impressive, as in 2019 and 2020, he did not even crack the top 20, largely due to injuries that kept him out of 72 games across those two seasons. Since then, he has led the league in jersey sales in three of the last five years.
The demand for Ohtani’s jersey matches the magnitude of his on-field achievements. On Thursday, the Dodgers clinched their fourth straight NL West title and 12th in 13 years with an 8-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ohtani contributed by hitting his 54th home run of the season, matching his own Los Angeles franchise record set last year.
In 2024, he became the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. Beyond jersey sales, his memorabilia has reached unprecedented values. The ball from his 50th homer last season sold for $4.392 million, the most expensive baseball ever, and he is one of only three active players with a $1 million trading card, alongside Mike Trout and Paul Skenes.
In this year’s rankings, Los Angeles was well represented with four players in the top 20. Alongside Ohtani, Freddie Freeman finished third, Betts fourth, and Clayton Kershaw 12th. It's the 12th time Kershaw appeared on the list over his 18-year career, and his last, as he has announced plans to retire after the season.
Meanwhile, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ranked second, continuing his run as one of MLB’s most popular stars. Three players of the New York Mets managed to secure their spots in the top 20 ranking: Francisco Lindor (5), Juan Soto (6), and Pete Alonso (17).
Other notable names included Bryce Harper (8), Ronald Acuna Jr. (11), Elly De La Cruz (14), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (15), and Manny Machado (19).
The 2025 list also welcomed several first-time entries. Boston Red Sox Jarren Duran debuted at No. 13, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong at 16, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Skenes at 18, and Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh at 20.
Both Skenes and Raleigh turned their breakout seasons into jersey-sale success. Skenes is on track to claim the National League ERA crown in just his second year, while Raleigh sits atop the majors with 60 home runs.
