Boras Corporation

Scott Boras
Born	(1952-11-02) November 2, 1952 Sacramento, California, U.S.
Occupation	Sports agent
Years active	1980–present
Known for	President and owner of the Boras Corporation; representing professional baseball athletes; negotiating record-breaking contracts

Scott Dean Boras (born November 2, 1952) is a prominent American sports agent with a focus on baseball. He established and leads the Boras Corporation, a sports management firm based in Newport Beach, California, representing approximately 175 professional baseball athletes.

Since 2013, Forbes magazine has recognized Boras as the "Most Powerful Sports Agent in the World." In December of both 2019 and 2022, his clients secured contracts surpassing $1 billion. In 2024, he brokered the largest contract ever recorded in sports history for his client Juan Soto, valued at $765 million.

Early life and playing career

Born in Sacramento and raised in Elk Grove, California, Boras is the son of a dairy farmer. He enrolled at the University of the Pacific, where he joined the baseball team as a walk-on and led with a .312 batting average during the 1972 season. He remains among the top 10 in several offensive categories at the university and was inducted into the Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995. The baseball program honors him with its annual "Most Improved Player" award named in his honor.

Following college, Boras spent four seasons playing minor league baseball within the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs organizations, earning a spot on the Florida State League All-Star team in 1976. His playing days ended prematurely due to knee problems, finishing with a .288 batting average. He completed a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of the Pacific in 1977.

Boras later returned to his alma mater to obtain a Juris Doctor from its McGeorge School of Law in 1982. After graduation, he worked as an associate attorney at Chicago's Rooks, Pitts & Poust (now known as Dykema Gossett), where he defended pharmaceutical companies against class-action litigation.

Boras Corporation

Boras initiated his career as an agent by representing Manny Trillo, a former major league second baseman, along with Bill Caudill, a former minor league teammate who later became a closer; both individuals remain part of his organization today. By 1980, Boras dedicated himself exclusively to baseball player representation. In 1983, he negotiated a then-record $7.5 million contract for Caudill and subsequently left his legal practice to concentrate solely on acting as an agent.

Currently, Boras serves as president and owner of the Boras Corporation, an agency specializing exclusively in baseball. In 2014, Forbes recognized it as the most valuable agency operating within a single sport worldwide.

The agency is renowned for securing groundbreaking contracts for both free agents and amateur draft signees. Boras was a pioneer in negotiating contracts exceeding $50 million: including Greg Maddux’s five-year deal worth $57.5 million in 1997; Kevin Brown’s seven-year agreement totaling $105 million in 1998; and Alex Rodriguez’s unprecedented 10-year contract valued at $252 million in 2000.

He has consistently represented top amateur draft prospects while driving up draft compensation records. Beginning with Tim Belcher’s $150,000 contract in 1983, clients of Boras set consecutive milestones: Andy Benes at $247,500 (1988); Ben McDonald with a $1.01 million guarantee (1989); Todd Van Poppel at $1.2 million (1990); Brien Taylor at $1.55 million (1991); J.D. Drew at $8.5 million (1998); Mark Teixeira at $9.5 million (2001); culminating with Stephen Strasburg’s record-breaking $15.1 million deal in 2009. That same year also saw Donavan Tate receive the largest signing bonus ever awarded to a high school player ($6.25 million) and Jacob Turner secure the highest signing bonus for a high school pitcher ($4.7 million).

The Boras Corporation operates out of an impressive $20 million headquarters spanning 23,000 square feet constructed with glass and steel in Newport Beach, California. Its subsidiaries include Boras Marketing, which manages memorabilia and endorsement deals, and the Boras Sports Training Institute that specializes in strength training and sports psychology. The staff comprises about 75 professionals including numerous former major leaguers and scouts located throughout the United States, Asia, and Latin America. The team also features an MIT-trained economist, ex-NASA engineer, attorneys, personal trainers, an investment group (which does not provide services directly to clients), a sports psychologist, and analysts who track daily games to provide strategic insights.

Reputation

Over the span of his career, Boras has represented players from every one of the 30 major league teams, handling numerous prominent contract negotiations. He specializes in obtaining groundbreaking agreements, which he views as the most demanding yet set new standards that benefit other athletes. Boras is recognized for employing distinctive tactics, such as advising draft selections to return to college, utilizing salary arbitration advantages, and persuading star players to postpone signing hometown discounts in favor of free agency opportunities.

Although these methods have sparked disapproval among fans who prioritize team loyalty over individual players, Boras asserts that his foremost duty is to advocate for his clients' best interests regardless of public sentiment. His inventive negotiation techniques have led Major League Baseball to revise its regulations on multiple occasions in reaction. As a result, Boras has earned the reputation of being both "baseball's most disliked figure" and an essential advocate for players, highlighting his profound impact on baseball's business dynamics.

1980s

• Boras' inaugural significant contract negotiation occurred in 1985 with Bill Caudill and the Toronto Blue Jays, securing a $1.5 million agreement that positioned Caudill as the second-highest paid relief pitcher.
• In 1988, he represented the top three amateur draft selections: Andy Benes, Mark Lewis, and Steve Avery. Benes signed for a record-setting $235,000 bonus at the time.
• The following year, Boras arranged the first multi-year major league contract for an amateur player focused solely on baseball—a $1.01 million deal including a $350,000 signing bonus—for first overall pick Ben McDonald with the Baltimore Orioles.

1990s

• In 1990, Boras negotiated a record $1.2 million guaranteed contract for 14th overall draft pick and high school pitcher Todd Van Poppel, which included a $500,000 signing bonus.
• The next year, he secured a $1.55 million signing bonus from the New York Yankees for high school prospect Brien Taylor, setting another new benchmark.
• In 1992, Boras orchestrated a five-year contract worth $28 million for Greg Maddux with the Atlanta Braves, surpassing competing offers by $9 million and ranking second only to David Cone in annual salary value.
• By 1996, Boras took advantage of a loophole allowing draft picks Matt White and Bobby Seay to be declared free agents; both then signed lucrative contracts with the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays, earning at least $25 million more than expected and prompting MLB to modify draft regulations.
• In 1997, Boras counseled draft pick J. D. Drew to decline an initial $2.6 million offer from the Philadelphia Phillies; after playing with an independent team and filing a grievance, Drew re-entered the draft and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for nearly three times that amount. This incident led MLB to rename its draft system as the "First Year Player Draft."
• Following the 1997 season, Boras negotiated a five-year contract worth $57.5 million for Greg Maddux, making him the highest-paid player at that time.
• In 1998, he surpassed the $100 million mark by securing a seven-year, $105 million deal for Kevin Brown with the Los Angeles Dodgers, eclipsing Maddux's previous record.
• That same year, Boras arranged a seven-year contract valued at $87.5 million for Bernie Williams with the New York Yankees, exceeding their publicly stated $60 million budget.
• In 1999, Boras filed a grievance on behalf of Adrián Beltré after it was discovered that the Los Angeles Dodgers had falsified his birth records to sign him underage; Commissioner Bud Selig subsequently awarded damages and imposed penalties on the Dodgers.

2000

• In 2000, guided by Boras, high school talent Landon Powell obtained his GED ahead of schedule and declared for draft eligibility. Since teams did not anticipate his eligibility, Powell went undrafted and became a free agent. Ultimately, he chose not to sign and instead enrolled at the University of South Carolina.
• During the 2000 Winter Meetings, Boras negotiated two groundbreaking contracts for clients drafted in 1993. On December 11, he secured a five-year, $55 million agreement for former second overall pick Darren Dreifort with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The very next day, Boras finalized what was then the largest contract in professional sports: a 10-year, $252 million deal for former first overall pick Alex Rodriguez with the Texas Rangers. This contract doubled the previous record for American team sports and surpassed the amount owner Tom Hicks had paid for the Rangers franchise just three years earlier.

2001

• In February 2001, Boras and Andruw Jones prevailed in salary arbitration against the Atlanta Braves, securing an arbitration-record $8.2 million salary during Jones's second arbitration year. This record stood until 2008.
• In December 2001, Boras and free agent Barry Bonds, then the reigning National League MVP, accepted salary arbitration with the San Francisco Giants. Subsequently, Boras negotiated a five-year, $90 million contract for Bonds at age 37.

2002

• In December 2002, Boras achieved an unexpected salary arbitration acceptance from free agent Greg Maddux, who returned to the Atlanta Braves. Boras then negotiated a record-setting $14.75 million contract for Maddux—the highest one-year deal in baseball at that time.

2003

• In December 2003, Boras played a key role in intricate negotiations concerning a potential trade of Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers to the Boston Red Sox. Boras and Rodriguez proposed reducing salaries by $12 million in exchange for marketing rights and early free agency starting after 2005. However, the trade was ultimately blocked by the MLBPA due to concerns over altering guaranteed contracts.

2004

• In February 2004, Boras successfully brokered Rodriguez’s trade from the Rangers to the New York Yankees, incorporating contractual adjustments that preserved guaranteed earnings.
• Following the 2004 season, Boras secured a five-year, $55 million contract for J. D. Drew with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which included an opt-out clause that Drew exercised after two years.

2005

• In January 2005, Boras negotiated his third contract surpassing $100 million when Carlos Beltrán signed a seven-year, $119 million guaranteed agreement with the New York Mets.

2006

• In February 2006, Boras won salary arbitration for Kyle Lohse against the Minnesota Twins, obtaining a $3.95 million raise. Lohse became the first player since 1991 to win consecutive arbitration cases.
• After the 2006 season, Boras advised J. D. Drew to opt out of his remaining three years and $33 million on his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He then negotiated a five-year, $70 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, finalized in January 2007 and including special injury provisions due to Drew’s previous shoulder surgery.
• On December 14, 2006, Boras secured a six-year, $52 million contract for Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka with the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox also paid $51.1 million to his Japanese team to obtain exclusive negotiating rights.
• Two weeks later, Boras arranged a record-breaking seven-year, $126 million contract for Barry Zito with the San Francisco Giants, which was then the largest contract ever awarded to a pitcher.

2007

• The collective bargaining agreement reached in 2007 between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association established an August 15 deadline for signing draft selections, aiming to counteract Boras's approach of advising prospects such as Jason Varitek, J. D. Drew, and Max Scherzer to postpone their signings.
• On August 13, 2007, Boras secured a groundbreaking $7.3 million contract for draft pick Rick Porcello with the Detroit Tigers, setting a new record for the highest amount ever awarded to a high school draftee.
• On October 28, 2007, during Game 4 of the 2007 World Series, Boras and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez chose to opt out of Rodriguez’s original 10-year, $252 million contract, which still had three years and $72 million remaining. The timing of this decision attracted notable criticism.
• After discussions with Yankees management, Boras negotiated a historic 10-year, $275 million contract for Rodriguez. This agreement featured exclusive marketing bonuses totaling $30 million, tied to surpassing home run records held by legends such as Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and Barry Bonds. Despite initial negotiation tensions and Rodriguez hiring Madonna’s manager for marketing purposes, Boras maintained his role as Rodriguez’s agent; their professional relationship was later described as “repaired.”

2008

• On July 31, 2008, Boras successfully removed the option years from Manny Ramirez’s contract with the Boston Red Sox amid Ramirez’s trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, enabling Ramirez to become a free agent two years earlier than expected.
• On August 15, 2008, Boras and the Pittsburgh Pirates continued negotiations beyond the midnight deadline regarding second overall draft pick Pedro Alvarez. After MLB unilaterally extended this deadline, Boras and the MLBPA filed a grievance. Following legal proceedings, Alvarez ultimately signed a major league contract worth $6.355 million.
• In December 2008, Boras finalized an eight-year, $180 million deal for Mark Teixeira with the New York Yankees. This contract made Teixeira the highest-paid first baseman in baseball history and ranked him third among all players in earnings behind Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter.

2009

• In August 2009, Boras negotiated a record-setting major league contract valued at $15.1 million for Stephen Strasburg, who was the first overall pick by the Washington Nationals.
• Several other Boras clients secured landmark deals following the 2009 draft: Donavan Tate received a $6.25 million signing bonus from the San Diego Padres—the largest ever awarded to a high school player; Jacob Turner obtained a $4.7 million signing bonus from the Detroit Tigers—the highest for a high school pitcher; and second overall pick Dustin Ackley earned a $6 million signing bonus tied for one of the largest upfront bonuses ever given, as part of a major league contract potentially worth up to $10 million with $7.5 million guaranteed.

2010

• In January 2010, Boras arranged a seven-year contract worth $120 million for Matt Holliday with the St. Louis Cardinals, marking the most lucrative deal in franchise history.
• In August 2010, Boras brokered a record five-year deal valued at $9.9 million for seventeen-year-old Bryce Harper—the number one overall pick—with the Washington Nationals. This set a new benchmark for position players and surpassed Boras’s previous record held by Mark Teixeira. Harper qualified early for the draft by obtaining his GED.
• Harper was among several prominent Boras clients who signed top-tier draft contracts that year, including third overall pick Manny Machado, fourth pick Christian Colon, seventh pick Matt Harvey, twenty-fourth pick Gary Brown, and Anthony Ranaudo.
• On December 5, 2010, Boras secured a seven-year agreement worth $126 million for Jayson Werth with the Washington Nationals. This contract tied as the third-largest ever signed by an outfielder in baseball history behind Manny Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano.

2011

• On January 5, Boras secured a six-year, $96 million agreement for Adrián Beltré with the Texas Rangers, representing Beltré's second significant free agent contract. Previously, Beltré had inked a five-year, $64 million deal with the Mariners beginning in 2005. Following a season hampered by injuries, Boras arranged a one-year, $10 million "pillow contract" with the Boston Red Sox for 2010 that included a player option for 2011, safeguarding Beltré against injury-related risks. After an All-Star caliber season, Beltré declined the option and capitalized on his resurgence to secure a six-year contract with the Rangers worth $32 million more than his Mariners deal, despite being six years older.
• On January 15, Boras negotiated a three-year, $35 million contract for Rafael Soriano with the New York Yankees, notable for its annual opt-out clauses allowing Soriano to pursue larger deals while retaining guaranteed money in case of injury or underperformance. Soriano utilized this opt-out following the 2012 season.
• On January 18, Boras reached a one-year arbitration settlement for Prince Fielder with the Milwaukee Brewers valued at $15.5 million—the highest single-season arbitration figure in MLB history and a 24% increase over the previous record Boras set in 2008 for Mark Teixeira. This agreement established Fielder as the Brewers' highest-paid player ever.
• During the 2010–2011 offseason, Boras's agency negotiated contracts totaling approximately $444.5 million, surpassing rival agencies by more than $120 million.
• On March 7, former University of Kentucky athlete James Paxton signed with the Seattle Mariners for $942,500 following legal disputes related to NCAA restrictions on his communications with Boras. Paxton had earlier declined an offer from the Toronto Blue Jays.
• On June 6, Gerrit Cole was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, marking the third consecutive year a Boras client earned the top draft pick (after Stephen Strasburg in 2009 and Bryce Harper in 2010). Boras negotiated an unprecedented $8 million signing bonus for Cole on August 15, surpassing his own prior record of $7.5 million set with Strasburg.
• Also on August 15, Boras secured a groundbreaking contract for high school prospect Bubba Starling, chosen fifth overall by the Kansas City Royals. Starling received a $7.5 million signing bonus—the second largest in draft history and the highest ever awarded to a high school player—exceeding bonuses previously arranged by Boras for other top prospects.

2012

• On January 24, 2012, Boras finalized a nine-year, $214 million contract for Prince Fielder with the Detroit Tigers, ranking as the fourth-largest contract ever signed by a baseball player. The deal surprised many due to its magnitude, duration, and the team involved since Fielder's market had appeared subdued.
• On December 10, Boras completed a six-year, $36 million agreement for Hyun-Jin Ryu with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers compensated Korea's Hanwha Eagles $25.7 million for exclusive signing rights. Ryu's contract featured innings-based bonuses up to $1 million annually and included opt-out provisions if traded or after reaching 750 career innings pitched.

2013

• In March, Boras arranged an eight-year contract extension worth $120 million for Elvis Andrus with the Texas Rangers, spanning from 2013 through 2022. This agreement included a vesting option that could increase the total to $135 million over nine years, opt-out clauses after the 2018 and 2019 seasons, no-trade protection, and annual performance bonuses up to $800,000.
• During June, Boras represented four first-round selections: Mark Appel, Kris Bryant, Sean Manaea, and Michael Lorenzen. He successfully negotiated a signing bonus of $6.35 million for Appel, who was the first overall pick by the Houston Astros—more than twice their initial offer.
• Boras also secured the highest draft signing bonus that year, $6.7 million, for Kris Bryant, chosen second overall by the Cubs.
• On December 3, Boras finalized a seven-year deal valued at $153 million for Jacoby Ellsbury with the rival New York Yankees, which included an option year potentially increasing the contract to $169 million. The Red Sox had proposed a below-market offer of $100 million; however, the Yankees outbid them in a highly publicized negotiation.
• On December 21, Boras secured a seven-year contract worth $130 million for free agent Shin-Soo Choo with the Texas Rangers. Choo became the first player without any All-Star selections to sign a contract exceeding $100 million.

2014

• In 2014, Boras's free agent clients Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales signed contracts late in the offseason due to MLB draft pick compensation rules, which Boras criticized as "corrupt." These regulations also limited market opportunities for players such as Nelson Cruz, Ubaldo Jiménez, and Ervin Santana, who agreed to one-year deals before the season and faced similar compensation restrictions afterward. By postponing their signings until after the season, Drew and Morales avoided draft pick compensation obligations.
• Boras negotiated the largest signing bonus of 2014 for Carlos Rodon, who received $6.582 million from the Chicago White Sox as the third overall draft pick—$860,500 above MLB’s suggested slot value. Meanwhile, both the second and fourth picks signed for amounts considerably below their slot recommendations.

2015

• On January 19, 2015, Boras brokered a seven-year contract worth $210 million for free agent Max Scherzer with the Washington Nationals. Prior to free agency, Scherzer had turned down offers totaling at least $144 million from the Detroit Tigers. Boras also arranged injury insurance coverage for Scherzer to safeguard his earnings potential amid concerns about pre-free agency injuries.

2019

• On February 28, 2019, Boras negotiated an MLB-record 13-year contract valued at $330 million between free agent Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies. This landmark deal featured a no-trade clause and did not include any opt-out options. Less than three weeks later, Mike Trout’s extension eclipsed Harper’s record.
• On December 9, 2019, Boras secured a groundbreaking seven-year contract worth $245 million for pitcher Stephen Strasburg with the Washington Nationals. This agreement set new records for total contract value and average annual salary, incorporated a full no-trade clause, and included $80 million in deferred payments extending through 2029.
• The following day, December 10, Boras finalized a nine-year deal valued at $324 million for free agent pitcher Gerrit Cole with the New York Yankees. This became the largest pitching contract in terms of total salary and average annual value ($36 million), featured full no-trade protection and a player option after the 2025 season, ranking as the fourth-largest contract in MLB history.
• On December 11, Boras secured a seven-year agreement worth $245 million for third baseman Anthony Rendon with the Los Angeles Angels, bringing his clients’ total contracts signed within three days to an aggregate of $814 million.
• Left-handed Korean pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu agreed on December 27 to a four-year contract worth $80 million with the Toronto Blue Jays. With this signing included, Boras’s clients amassed over $1 billion ($1.0135 billion) in contracts during December alone.

2021

• On November 28, 2021, Boras-represented player Marcus Semien inked a seven-year deal worth $175 million with the Texas Rangers.
• The following day, November 29, 2021, Boras client Max Scherzer committed to a three-year, $130 million contract with the New York Mets, which included an opt-out clause after the 2023 season.
• Also on November 29, 2021, Boras client Corey Seager agreed to a decade-long contract valued at $325 million with the Texas Rangers.

2022

• On March 16, 2022, Boras client Kris Bryant finalized a seven-year agreement worth $182 million with the Colorado Rockies.
• Two days later, on March 18, 2022, Boras client Carlos Correa signed a three-year contract totaling $105.3 million with the Minnesota Twins, featuring opt-out options after both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
• On December 7, 2022, Boras client Xander Bogaerts secured an eleven-year contract valued at $280 million with the San Diego Padres.
• The next day, December 8, 2022, Boras client Brandon Nimmo agreed to an eight-year deal worth $162 million with the New York Mets.
• On December 15, 2022, Boras client Carlos Rodón signed a six-year contract worth $162 million with the New York Yankees.

2023

• On January 10, Boras client Carlos Correa extended his commitment to the Minnesota Twins by signing a six-year contract valued at $200 million.
• On December 12, Boras client Jung-hoo Lee agreed to a six-year contract worth $113 million with the San Francisco Giants, which included an opt-out clause after the 2027 season. Lee’s posting fee amounted to $18.825 million.

2024

• On September 4, Boras client Matt Chapman secured a six-year extension valued at $151 million with the San Francisco Giants.
• On November 26, Boras client Blake Snell finalized a five-year agreement worth $182 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• On December 8, Boras client Juan Soto signed a historic fifteen-year contract worth $765 million with the New York Mets, setting a new record for the largest contract in professional sports at that time.
• On December 27, Boras client Corbin Burnes agreed to a six-year deal valued at $210 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which included an opt-out option following the 2026 season.

Personal life

Scott and Jeanette Boras have been partners since 1982 and have been married since 1985. Together they have three children.

Since 2013, Scott Boras has organized the annual Boras Baseball Classic through the Boras Family Foundation. This premier high school tournament provides exposure for athletes to college coaches and MLB scouts. Initially held in California and expanded to include Arizona teams from 2017 onward, it has featured over 5,000 Division I players and more than 500 MLB draftees. Notable #1 overall selections showcased include Paul Skenes (2023), Spencer Torkelson (2020), Royce Lewis (2017), and Mickey Moniak (2016).

External links

• Boras Corporation website
• Scott Boras at Baseball Library