How Kurt Suzuki Went from Walk-On to World Series Champion
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Release Date: 04/02/2025
Navigating Youth Travel Baseball in 2025 - Truths You Need To Hear
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Parents and players, STOP stressing about the travel baseball grind! In this powerful episode, Matt sits down with four insiders: Craig Holman, Andy Burress, Jeff Petty, and Matthew Maniscalco to reveal what really matters when chasing college scholarships and pro dreams. Subscribe now for real talk on youth baseball development and exposure! What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The #1 mistake most baseball parents make (and how to avoid it). How exposure camps and showcases can hurt your chances if you’re not ready. Inside stories from pro players, coaches, and travel ball leaders. ...
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Baseball Parents Ask… I Answer: Honest Advice on Development, Recruiting & the Draft
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Struggling to make sense of travel ball, recruiting, and what actually matters? This episode is your guide. Subscribe for weekly real-talk. What You’ll Learn: How to evaluate costly academies and private coaching What scouts and college coaches truly care about Why failure, character, and timing matter more than hype When to start showcases, hire an advisor, or stay local Raising a young athlete in today’s baseball landscape can feel overwhelming—especially when decisions carry high emotional and financial weight. In this post-2025 Draft Q&A episode of The Most Valuable...
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Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
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Inside the MLB Combine: What Scouts Really Look For with Trevor Haley
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
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450 MLB Draft Picks: Inside the Canes Baseball Dynasty
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Have you ever faced that crossroads—losing your competitive edge but gaining a higher calling in the game you love? In this episode, Jeff Petty shares how an average college player found purpose as a coach and built one of the nation’s top travel baseball programs. What You’ll Learn How to shift from playing to coaching with purpose Why truth-telling in evaluations is key for athlete development How elite travel programs prepare players mentally and physically What coaches and college scouts truly look for in players Balancing roles, failure, and obsession on the path to...
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Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
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The MLB Star Nobody Saw Coming: Mauricio Dubón's Underdog Story
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Mauricio Dubón’s Underdog Journey to the Big Leagues They said he was too small. Too quiet. From a country that "doesn’t play baseball." Mauricio Dubón was never supposed to make it. But he did — and he didn’t just make it. He became a World Series champion. In this episode of Most Valuable Agent, MLB agent Matt Hannaford sits down with Houston Astros utility star Mauricio Dubón to uncover the real story behind one of the most unlikely journeys in baseball. From shagging balls in Honduras to stepping in for José Altuve and going on a 20-game hit streak, Dubón’s story is about...
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The Truth About Draft Day: What Parents and Players Get Wrong
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
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Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
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Here’s What MLB Scouts Actually Look For (It’s Not What You Think)
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Ever wondered what it really takes to catch the eye of a Major League Baseball scout? In this powerhouse episode of the Most Valuable Agent podcast, host Matt sits down with Gus Quattlebaum, VP of Scouting Development & Integration for the Boston Red Sox, and Johan Martinez-Khalilian, elite coach to athletes and artists. Together, they reveal how pro teams evaluate talent—from advanced data and video review to the critical role of mindset, failure, and intangibles that can't be measured. Whether you're a player, parent, or baseball fanatic, this episode offers an insider view into modern...
info_outlineThink making it to the MLB is all about raw talent? Think again.
Kurt Suzuki’s journey from an overlooked Hawaiian athlete to a 16-year MLB career proves that mindset, adaptability, and persistence matter more than anything else.
In this episode of Most Valuable Agent, World Series champion Kurt Suzuki sits down with host Matt to share his unfiltered story—from walking on at Cal State Fullerton to winning a College World Series and ultimately thriving in the big leagues.
Whether you're a youth baseball player, parent navigating travel ball politics, or just a fan of underdog success stories, this episode is packed with must-know lessons on perseverance, mental toughness, and making the most of every opportunity.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
⚾️ The challenges of being a baseball prospect from Hawaii
⚾️ Why exposure and opportunity outweigh raw talent in recruiting
⚾️ How Kurt turned down a full-ride to walk on at Fullerton… and why
⚾️ The mindset shift that changed everything, thanks to Ken Ravizza
⚾️ The story behind becoming a national champion and Johnny Bench Award winner
⚾️ How humility, adaptability, and being a “winning player” matter more than stats
⚾️ Advice for parents navigating youth baseball and travel ball politics 🧠
⚾️ Behind-the-scenes insights on agents, the business of MLB, and staying in the bigs
💥 This isn’t just a story about baseball—it’s about life, mindset, perseverance, and becoming undeniable. Whether you’re a youth athlete, parent, coach, or fan of the game, you’ll walk away with a new perspective on what it takes to compete—and win—at the highest level.
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https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent/
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Kurt Suzuki: @kurt_suzuki_pono_baseball
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