Nez Balelo reportedly has a net worth of $10 million. The MLB superagent is said to be making $3 million from his latest deal.
After Shohei Ohtani, if there is someone whose name is on everyone’s lips, then that is Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo. The earlier estimation of his $3 million deal is a clear speculation, but it won’t be hard to believe.
Balelo is said to be the one to orchestrate Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million move to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Recently, he also revealed that the Angels had every opportunity to keep Shohei but chose not to.
Before Shohei Ohtani’s deal set the baseball world on fire, Balelo did his best to keep the deal a big secret. He declined several interviews, but now that the secret is in the open, we might soon hear from him.
Nez Balelo Net Worth: How Rich Is Shohei Ohtani’s Agent?
Shohei Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo’s net worth is believed to be $10 million. As per Forbes, Balelo was listed in the 2020 Sports Agents Commissions list, with $21.2 million in earnings.
A former baseball player, Balelo, was drafted by the Mariners in the fourth round in 1985. He was a star athlete at the University High School in San Diego and an All-West Coast Conference player at Pepperdine University.
At Mariners, Balelo was ready to take on the shortstop’s position before a horrific incident altered his life. He fell 40 feet down an elevator shaft while working in construction.
His body was shattered from head to toe. Balelo was newly married to his partner, Lisa, and the accident had caused great pain to him physically and mentally. But he powered through it.
He spent another two years in the minor leagues and played pro ball overseas. Nez returned to the US and opened successful baseball facilities. But it was in 2006 that his life changed for the better.
In 2006, Nez joined the Creative Artists Agency and helped to build the company that is now known as CAA Sports. Balelo revealed he and his team had managed more than $2.2 billion in MLB contracts. This was during an interview in 2018.
In the last few years, Nez Balelo has established himself as one of the biggest sports agents in the world. And Nez’s latest deal has made him not only richer but also as famous as his client.
Nez Balelo Commission From Ohtani Deal
Many rumors are circulating online about how much Nez Balelo is making from the Shohei Ohtani deal. Some have said it is 2.1 million, and some believe it to be 3 million.
But the true details have not been disclosed and will probably never be revealed. As per a few websites, an MLB agent is likely to get 3 to 5% as a commission. So, as per that information, Nez is potentially making $35 million before taxes; $3.5 million per year.
Previously, MLB superstar Alex Rodriguez confirmed on a podcast that MLB agents get a 5% cut of the yearly contract. But this might depend from agent to agent. The more experienced you are, the better deal you make.
Nez Balelo has been in this industry for a long and knows everything about it. Shohei Ohtani isn’t his only client. There are other athletes as well whom he handles.
The Miami Marlins player Sandy Alcantara is one of his clients, and so is Jean Segura. Ryan Braun, Andre Ethier, and Adam Jones are his other clients.
