Building the most expensive team in MLB history

Bryce Harper is about to become $330 million richer following his reported agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, and Manny Machado isn't far behind after signing a $300-million contract with the San Diego Padres a few days earlier.

Their deals made the pair two of the richest players in baseball history, but they aren't the first major leaguers to make record-setting money.

Let's take a look at the biggest contracts in MLB history by position and construct the most expensive team of all time.

Joe Mauer, C

Contract: 8 years, $184 million

With Joe Mauer fresh off of winning American League MVP honors, the Minnesota Twins made the largest commitment to a player in franchise history in March 2010. It's also the most lucrative contract ever given to a catcher.

Mauer never performed at an MVP level again, although he did build a solid resume. The native Minnesotan retired in November as a six-time All-Star with three career batting titles and three Gold Gloves. He spent all 15 of his seasons with the Twins.

Miguel Cabrera, 1B

Contract: 8 years, $248 million

In December 2007, the Detroit Tigers traded for Miguel Cabrera. Over the next six seasons, he became the most feared hitter in baseball en route to back-to-back MVPs and three consecutive batting titles.

Detroit gave him a hefty extension in 2014. Since then, the 35-year-old's appeared in three All-Star Games and won a fourth batting title. However, the past two seasons have been down years for Cabrera, who's battled injuries.

Robinson Cano, 2B

Contract: 10 years, $240 million

Following nine years with the New York Yankees, including a World Series win in 2009, Robinson Cano accepted a huge offer from the Seattle Mariners in December 2013.

He continued to rake for the Mariners through his early 30s, but he was suspended last season for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Cano and his gargantuan contract were traded back to New York this past December - but this time, he'll suit up for the Mets.

Manny Machado, 3B

Contract: 10 years, $300 million

Machado will play third base for the San Diego Padres, but before he signed with them, this spot would have belonged to Alex Rodriguez's 10-year, $275-million pact with the Yankees.

Though Machado was expected to land a colossal long-term contract, the fact the 26-year-old got it from the small-market Padres came as a surprise.

Machado, Eric Hosmer, and the team's pipeline of potential future stars are expected to change the landscape of the NL West.

Alex Rodriguez, SS

Contract: 10 years, $252 million

Rodriguez's agreement with the Texas Rangers following the 2000 season remains the richest ever signed by a shortstop. At the time, it was the most lucrative deal in sports history, worth $63 million more than the next-biggest contract in baseball.

He posted impressive numbers, earning an MVP award and three home-run crowns, but the signing didn't yield a winning product for the Rangers.

A-Rod was traded to the Yankees in 2004 and won a championship five years later.

Jason Heyward, OF

Contract: 8 years, $184 million

With sights set on their first World Series title in more than 100 years, the Chicago Cubs splurged for Jason Heyward before the 2016 season.

The Cubs did win the World Series, but Heyward's bat didn't help much, as the outfielder managed a .631 OPS with seven home runs in the first year of the deal.

Although he's improved offensively each season since signing in Chicago, Heyward's posted a .252/.322/.367 slash line with 26 home runs and 165 RBIs in 395 games for the Cubs.

Giancarlo Stanton, OF

Contract: 13 years, $325 million

As of Thursday, Giancarlo Stanton's no longer signed to baseball's biggest contract, but he's still raking in plenty of dough - and crushing bombs.

After signing a gargantuan extension with the Miami Marlins in November 2014, Stanton hit 113 home runs and was named NL MVP.

That didn't matter to the Marlins' new ownership, however. Miami traded him to the Yankees before the 2018 season, and he hit 38 homers for New York.

Bryce Harper, OF

Contract: 13 years, $330 million (reported)

Harper stands atop the mountain of baseball's wealthiest players after reportedly agreeing to a monster deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Following an impressive seven-year run with the Washington Nationals, during which he was named 2015 NL MVP and accumulated a .900 OPS, Harper hopes to leave his mark on a franchise that hasn't made a postseason appearance since 2011.

Harper is a generational talent and one of the league's most marketable players. While his salary may seem high, his reported signing is already paying dividends for the Phillies - the team sold 100,000 tickets in less than 24 hours after the news that he'd picked Philadelphia.

Albert Pujols, DH

Contract: 10 years, $240 million

Albert Pujols' 11-year run with the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the most dominant stretches in baseball history, earned him a huge deal from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim before the 2012 season.

Los Angeles swooped in at the last minute to sign the three-time MVP after Pujols rejected a reported lowball offer from the Cardinals. He also passed up a deal from the Marlins.

Pujols has sustained his power numbers through the first seven years of his Angels contract, but the 38-year-old is slowing down. He's been relegated to DH duties, and he's been a negative-win player in two consecutive seasons while making upward of $26 million.

David Price, SP

Contract: 7 years, $217 million

After signing the richest contract ever given to a pitcher in December 2015, David Price was under pressure to immediately become an ace for the Boston Red Sox.

Things got off to a rocky start. The left-hander underperformed relative to his deal, confronted members of the media, and continued a losing trend as a postseason starter.

Price changed people's minds in 2018, though. After recovering from elbow issues in his throwing arm, the southpaw won 16 games in the regular season and conquered his playoff demons as the Red Sox won their ninth championship.

Aroldis Chapman, CL

Contract: 5 years, $86 million

The Yankees signed flame-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman following his 2016 World Series win with the Cubs, less than five months after they traded him to Chicago.

The front office liked what it had seen from the Cuban Missile enough to bring him back on the largest contract (by total dollars) ever given to a relief pitcher.

Since returning to New York, Chapman's recorded 54 saves and 162 strikeouts in 101 2/3 innings.