The baseball community continues to admire Cal Ripken Jr., a legend known for his record-breaking career and steadfast dedication. Fans and enthusiasts continue to be curious about his financial situation despite his renowned reputation. In addition to his outstanding accomplishments on the field, Ripken’s net worth also takes into account his interests outside of baseball.
Analyzing Cal Ripken Jr.’s net worth provides information on the financial gains made during his successful career and afterlife pursuits. Being a well-liked character in American sports history, Ripken’s wealth is evidence of his lasting influence both inside and outside of baseball.
Cal Ripken Jr Net Worth
With a net worth of $70 million, Cal Ripken Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player. Cal Ripken Jr. was a shortstop and third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball for 21 seasons.
Though he was a 19-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner for defense, Ripken is most known for shattering Lou Gehrig’s record for the most consecutive games played—a mark that held for 56 years and was thought to be unbreakable.
In 2007, the first year he was eligible, Cal Ripken, Jr. was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Ripken, who is regarded as one of the greatest shortstops and third basemen in baseball history, has the record for the most home runs hit while playing shortstop.
Cal Ripken Jr’s Early Life
The son of Cal Ripken Sr. and Violet Roberta “Vi” Ripken (née Gross), Ripken was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland. His ancestry is mixed Irish, English, and German.
Despite living in Aberdeen, Maryland, the Ripken family was often on the go due to Cal Sr.’s coaching responsibilities with the Baltimore Orioles. When his kid was born, Cal Sr. was actually in Topeka, Kansas, with one of his teams.
Cal Jr. began playing baseball at a very young age and was surrounded by it growing up. Doug DeCinces and other players from his father’s teams were able to mentor him. In addition, he received guidance from his father, who reportedly told his mother that he had better questions than the reporters had.
Ripken “knew the game inside and out” by the age of ten, having known since he was three years old that he wanted to be a baseball player. Billy, Ripken’s brother, was an Aberdeen High School student. There, Cal played soccer in addition to baseball.] His other siblings are Fred and Ellen.
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Cal Ripken Jr’s Personal Life
On Friday, November 13, 1987, Ripken wed the former Kelly Geer at Towson United Methodist Church. They have a son named Ryan and a daughter named Rachel. Following a year of separation, Ripken and his wife Kelly officially divorced on April 28, 2016. Laura S. Kiessling, née Kaufman, was a judge on the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court when Ripken married her in 2018. She adopted his surname.
In the 20th round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft in 2012, the Orioles selected Ryan, his son, who is also a baseball player. Instead, he decided to go to college, and in 2012, he started his first year at the University of South Carolina.
The Washington Nationals selected him in the fifteenth round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft in 2014 after he transferred to Indian River Community College. He signed with the Orioles after being cut loose by the Nationals in March 2017.
He was assigned to the Aberdeen Ironbirds, owned by his father, and played in a stadium bearing the family name. Ryan reached as high as the AAA Norfolk Tides in 2021, but he announced his retirement from professional baseball the following offseason after remaining unsigned.
Cal Ripken Jr’s Career
The Baltimore Orioles drafted Ripken 48th overall in the 1978 MLB second round. The Orioles’ scheduled draft pick selected Ripken, not the Boston Red Sox’s forfeited pick after Dick Drago was chosen in the 1977 re-entry draft, contrary to SABR’s claim.
Two choices after Ripken, the Orioles selected catcher Cecil Whitehead from Boston. Quoted on moving straight from high school to the pros: “Dad and I discussed baseball careers before colleges started. If I could, I would do it and start over in college at 25 or 26 if it didn’t work out.”
The Orioles were the only team interested in Ripken’s high school shortstop and pitcher skills. He started playing shortstop in the minors because the Orioles thought it would be simpler for him to pitch than hit again.
Orioles assigned Ripken to the rookie Appalachian League Bluefield Orioles to start his minor league career. He failed to make the league’s all-rookie team with 264, 63 hits, no home runs, and 24 RBIs. Ripken joined the Florida State League’s Single-A Miami Orioles in 1979.
Miami manager Lance Nichols moved Ripken to third base early in the season, saying, “Cal was struggling at short, so I moved him to third. The third base fit Cal and our team well.” Ripken hit his first professional home run in the 12th inning against West Palm Beach Expos pitcher Joseph Abone on July 2.
While playing in all 105 Miami games, Ripken hit 303, led the league with 28 doubles, hit five home runs, and had 54 RBIs. After the season, he was an All-Star. Ripken batted.180 in a month with the Double-A Southern League Charlotte Orioles, hitting three home runs. Ripken started in 1980 with Charlotte.
His Charlotte manager, Jimmy Williams, predicted Ripken would set the team home run record, and he did. Finished the season with 25 home runs, four more than the previous record. He had 28 doubles, 78 RBIs, and.492 slugging. Ripken was an All-Star as Charlotte won the Southern League.
