About this podcast
Welcome to Most Valuable Agent – the podcast that gives baseball players, prospects, and fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to succeed in professional baseball.
Hosted by Matt Hannaford, a Major League Baseball agent with years of experience in contract negotiations and player representation, this channel is a must-watch for:
• Athletes looking to advance their careers
• Parents supporting young players
• Baseball fans who want a deeper understanding of the game beyond the field
What You'll Learn:
• MLB Contracts & Draft Insights – How players get signed, negotiate contracts, and maximize opportunities
• The Business of Baseball – Arbitration, free agency, and how teams evaluate talent
• Expert Interviews & Analysis – Conversations with players, scouts, and insiders
• MLB News & Market Trends – Breaking down trades, signings, and player negotiations
👉 Subscribe now for exclusive insights from one of baseball's top agents! New episodes weekly.
You can watch the full episodes on The Most Valuable Agent Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent
Episodes
The newest 20 of 126 episodes
- The Excuse You're Handing Your Son That's Hurting His Chances · 1 h 13 min · Episode 90The best youth coaches see things you miss from the stands. Kevin Quinn, the only coach Quaker Valley hockey has ever had, shows you what they are. Subscribe for weekly answers…
- How Bad Grades Cost You A Ton of Money (MLB Agent Explains) · 12 min · Episode 89Weeknight practices and weekend tournaments three hours away, and now your son's grades are slipping. An MLB agent explains why that report card is a baseball problem, and how…
- Is Your Son Burned Out on Baseball—or Does He Need a Break? · 17 min · Episode 88Your son used to live and breathe baseball. Now he seems exhausted, disconnected, or less excited about playing. Does he need a break, or is he losing his love for the game? In…
- What Year-Round Throwing Is Doing to Your Son's Arm (MLB Agent) · 17 min · Episode 87Your son's travel program has him throwing basically year-round, and every headline about a teenager needing Tommy John surgery makes you flinch. An MLB agent explains how much…
- Why the Coach's Kid Plays Over Yours (An MLB Agent Explains) · 11 min · Episode 86You are paying real money for travel ball, the coach's son gets the prime spot, and you are left wondering if the whole thing is rigged. Before you pull your son off the team, an…
- The Line In An MLB's Scouting Manual Most Parents Never See · 1 h 8 min · Episode 85An MLB team's internal scouting manual is blunt about it: if two players have similar physical ability, the organization says it will go with the player it believes has better…
- The One Question That Tells You If Summer Baseball Was Worth The Money · 38 min · Episode 84You spent the money. You drove all over the country. Now school starts, the credit card bill lands, and you still don't know if any of it was worth it. This episode gives you a…
- How to Avoid Wasting Money on the Wrong Travel Baseball Program · 32 min · Episode 112If you're deciding between a big-name travel baseball program where your son may not play and another program where he'll get more reps, the name on the jersey shouldn't make the…
- What 25 Years As An Agent Taught Me About Travel Baseball · 37 min · Episode 82Everybody around you says the same thing: get your kid into travel baseball now, or he falls behind forever. Matt Hannaford spent 25 years as an agent, and his answer starts with…
- Stop Looking for the "Best" Travel Baseball Team. Find the Right One. · 39 min · Episode 81Every travel baseball program can tell you why it's a good program. That doesn't mean it's the right program for your son. One of the biggest mistakes families make when choosing…
- Before You Talk to Your Son's Coach, Watch This · 40 min · Episode 80Most parents judge a coach by the small part of the process they can see: the lineup, playing time, positions, and in-game decisions. But that is rarely the whole story. Before…
- Travel Baseball Is a Tool, But Only If You Know How to Use It · 49 min · Episode 79A sports agent of 25 years explains why the travel baseball cost that scares you might be the wrong thing to worry about. If your son is good enough, the industry is built to…
- What You Say After the Game Is Hurting Your Son · 33 min · Episode 78Who is actually developing your son—and are the adults around him helping or hurting? In this episode, veteran MLB agent Matt Hannaford, who has more than 25 years of experience…
- MLB Wants to End the High School Draft. What It Means for Your Son · 20 min · Episode 77MLB just proposed ending the high school draft, and before you panic, you should understand what is being negotiated. MLB agent Matt Hannaford breaks down the proposal to…
- Travel Baseball Can Cost You More Than Money · 39 min · Episode 76Travel baseball can cost you tens of thousands of dollars, and the real bill is bigger than the checks you are writing. Here is what you are actually paying for. MLB agent Matt…
- Is a Travel Team Really Necessary? · 1 h 3 min · Episode 75You think the $45,000 travel team is buying your kid a shot at the next level. A former pro hockey player explains why that promise is youth sports' biggest lie. Every…
- The Hidden Negotiation Behind Your MLB Signing Bonus · 23 min · Episode 74If you are a baseball parent waiting on the MLB Draft, the wait is the hard part — and rushing it is the mistake. MLB agent Matt Hannaford breaks down what actually happens in…
- Danny Espinosa: How a big leaguer would develop your kid · 54 min · Episode 73A former MLB player who coaches travel baseball says winning tournaments is quietly stunting your kid. Subscribe for the insider playbook. Most travel baseball parents measure a…
- How You Act in the Stands Affects Your Son's Draft Stock (An MLB Agent Explains) · 40 min · Episode 72You think MLB scouts are evaluating your son. They are. But they are evaluating you just as carefully — and what they see in you can move your son's draft stock up or down by…
- The Car Ride Home Is Killing Your Son's Game (An MLB Agent Explains) · 37 min · Episode 71What you say to your son on the car ride home after a bad game can either build him up or push him out of the sport. MLB agent Matt Hannaford gives you the framework to get it…
