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The Cincinnati Reds opened the 1985 season paying $8,359,917 to 22 players and closed 2016 at $88,940,059 across 29 players, a 10.6× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Joey Votto’s $20,000,000 in 2016.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 22 | $8,359,917 | $379,996 | $252,500 | Mario Soto ($1.1M) |
| 1986 | 30 | $11,906,388 | $396,880 | $248,750 | Mario Soto ($1.1M) |
| 1987 | 26 | $9,281,500 | $356,981 | $256,250 | Mario Soto ($1.2M) |
| 1988 | 25 | $8,888,409 | $355,536 | $185,000 | Mario Soto ($1.2M) |
| 1989 | 29 | $11,072,000 | $381,793 | $225,000 | Eric Davis ($1.5M) |
| 1990 | 34 | $14,370,000 | $422,647 | $187,500 | Tom Browning ($2.1M) |
| 1991 | 26 | $26,305,333 | $1,011,744 | $612,500 | Eric Davis ($3.6M) |
| 1992 | 27 | $35,931,499 | $1,330,796 | $1,000,000 | Barry Larkin ($4.3M) |
| 1993 | 33 | $44,879,666 | $1,359,990 | $450,000 | Barry Larkin ($5.8M) |
| 1994 | 31 | $40,961,833 | $1,321,349 | $450,000 | John Smiley ($5M) |
| 1995 | 34 | $43,144,670 | $1,268,961 | $581,667 | Barry Larkin ($5.9M) |
| 1996 | 35 | $42,526,334 | $1,215,038 | $550,000 | Jose Rijo ($6.2M) |
| 1997 | 40 | $49,768,000 | $1,244,200 | $362,500 | Ruben Sierra ($6.7M) |
| 1998 | 34 | $23,005,000 | $676,618 | $232,500 | Barry Larkin ($5.3M) |
| 1999 | 31 | $33,962,761 | $1,095,573 | $400,000 | Greg Vaughn ($5.6M) |
| 2000 | 27 | $46,867,200 | $1,735,822 | $650,000 | Ken Griffey ($9.3M) |
| 2001 | 27 | $48,986,000 | $1,814,296 | $500,000 | Ken Griffey ($12.5M) |
| 2002 | 30 | $45,050,390 | $1,501,680 | $500,000 | Barry Larkin ($9M) |
| 2003 | 28 | $59,355,667 | $2,119,845 | $694,000 | Ken Griffey ($12.5M) |
| 2004 | 28 | $46,615,250 | $1,664,830 | $422,500 | Ken Griffey ($12.5M) |
| 2005 | 30 | $61,892,583 | $2,063,086 | $550,000 | Ken Griffey ($12.5M) |
| 2006 | 28 | $60,909,519 | $2,175,340 | $1,300,000 | Ken Griffey ($10.5M) |
| 2007 | 31 | $68,524,980 | $2,210,483 | $1,200,000 | Adam Dunn ($10.5M) |
| 2008 | 28 | $74,117,695 | $2,647,061 | $1,112,500 | Adam Dunn ($13M) |
| 2009 | 23 | $73,558,500 | $3,198,196 | $1,500,000 | Aaron Harang ($14M) |
| 2010 | 26 | $71,761,542 | $2,760,059 | $485,000 | Aaron Harang ($12.5M) |
| 2011 | 30 | $75,947,134 | $2,531,571 | $825,000 | Francisco Cordero ($12.1M) |
| 2012 | 28 | $82,203,616 | $2,935,843 | $1,150,000 | Brandon Phillips ($12.5M) |
| 2013 | 25 | $106,404,462 | $4,256,178 | $2,350,000 | Joey Votto ($18.9M) |
| 2014 | 28 | $108,217,500 | $3,864,911 | $1,630,000 | Joey Votto ($12M) |
| 2015 | 27 | $113,072,286 | $4,187,862 | $1,850,000 | Joey Votto ($14M) |
| 2016 | 29 | $88,940,059 | $3,066,899 | $530,000 | Joey Votto ($20M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joey Votto | $20,000,000 | 2016 (CIN) |
| 2 | Joey Votto | $18,910,655 | 2013 (CIN) |
| 3 | Homer Bailey | $18,000,000 | 2016 (CIN) |
| 4 | Bronson Arroyo | $16,445,535 | 2013 (CIN) |
| 5 | Aaron Harang | $14,000,000 | 2009 (CIN) |
| 6 | Joey Votto | $14,000,000 | 2015 (CIN) |
| 7 | Brandon Phillips | $13,083,333 | 2016 (CIN) |
| 8 | Adam Dunn | $13,000,000 | 2008 (CIN) |
| 9 | Jay Bruce | $12,541,666 | 2016 (CIN) |
| 10 | Ken Griffey | $12,500,000 | 2001 (CIN) |
| 11 | Ken Griffey | $12,500,000 | 2003 (CIN) |
| 12 | Ken Griffey | $12,500,000 | 2004 (CIN) |
| 13 | Ken Griffey | $12,500,000 | 2005 (CIN) |
| 14 | Aaron Harang | $12,500,000 | 2010 (CIN) |
| 15 | Brandon Phillips | $12,500,000 | 2012 (CIN) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Cincinnati Reds. Amounts are nominal US dollars exactly as recorded, with no inflation adjustment, because a deflator is an editorial choice and this archive refuses to invent one. The Lahman Salaries table was last updated for 2016, so nothing here reaches the current season.
The franchise’s heaviest recorded payroll was the 2015 season at $113,072,286 across 27 players.
Salary data: SABR / Lahman baseball database, CC BY-SA 3.0. Aggregated and published by Legends Deck. Nominal dollars; no inflation adjustment.