Yankees SS Derek Jeter tops the list of MLB's best-selling jerseys for '11, the second-straight year Jeter has led the league in that category. Phillies P Cliff Lee follows Jeter at second, with Angels 1B Albert Pujols rounding out the top three. There are seven players who did not make the previous year's list but cracked the top 20 for '11. The Phillies and Yankees each have four players in the top 20. Pujols' figures includes the sale of jerseys for both the Angels and Cardinals; Hunter Pence's No. 9 ranking reflects both Phillies and Astros jerseys (MLB).
| MLB MOST-POPULAR JERSEYS |
| RANK | PLAYER | RANK | PLAYER |
| 1 | Yankees SS Derek Jeter | 11 | Phillies 2B Chase Utley |
| 2 | Phillies P Cliff Lee | 12 | Twins C Joe Mauer |
| 3 | Angels 1B Albert Pujols | 13 | Tigers P Justin Verlander |
| 4 | Rangers LF Josh Hamilton | 14 | Red Sox 1B Adrian Gonzalez |
| 5 | Phillies P Roy Halladay | 15 | Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez |
| 6 | Giants P Tim Lincecum | 16 | Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler |
| 7 | Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia | 17 | Yankees 2B Robinson Cano |
| 8 | Brewers LF Ryan Braun | 18 | Yankees P Mariano Rivera |
| 9 | Phillies RF Hunter Pence | 19 | Red Sox LF Carl Crawford |
| 10 | Giants C Buster Posey | 20 | Cardinals 3B David Freese |
MLB EYEING ALL-TIME SALES HIGH: MARKETWATCH's Sam Mamudi noted due to "free-agent signings and new team uniforms," MLB is "on deck for another all-time high" for licensed merchandise sales this season. Though the league "didn’t make dollar figures available," it indicated that sales of MLB-licensed merchandise last year were up 10% from '10. Pujols' signing with the Angels and 1B Prince Fielder joining the Tigers, along with new jerseys for the Blue Jays and the Marlins, are "helping set a course for growth" in '12. Pujols and Fielder are both "landing in popular major-market teams, further boosting sales at solid franchises." MLB Senior VP/Licensing Howard Smith said that the Marlins are a "perfect storm: This winter, the team got a new name, new logo and kit, a new stadium and several high-profile signings," including SS Jose Reyes and Ps Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell (
MARKETWATCH.com, 4/4).
