Tony Clark on Player Power, Purpose, and the Future
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Release Date: 04/17/2025
The Biggest Gamble of Austin Riley’s Career.
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most parents want the roadmap — the blueprint that turns a young athlete into a confident, motivated, successful player. But very few families truly understand what the journey demands emotionally, mentally, relationally, and financially. In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, Matt sits down with MLB All-Star Austin Riley and his parents, Mike and Elisa Riley, for an unfiltered, start-to-finish conversation about development, failure, trust, and perspective — from youth baseball to the World Series and beyond. Mike and Elisa explain why they always measured progress over promotions,...
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Stop Being the Fixer - How to Truly Empower Your Son’s Baseball Career
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most dads step into their son’s baseball journey believing they need to fix, protect, analyze, and carry the weight of every result. It comes from love — but it often creates the exact pressure, resentment, and distance they’re trying to avoid. In this solo episode of The Most Valuable Agent, MLB agent Matt Hannaford reframes one of the most misunderstood roles in youth baseball: the role of the father. Your son doesn’t need you to be the hero of his story. He needs you to be the guide. Matt breaks down why trying to “save” your son from failure actually limits his growth, how...
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What I See as a College Softball Coach and the Dad of the #1 Prospect in Baseball
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most parents want the roadmap — the blueprint that turns a young athlete into a confident, motivated, successful player. But very few people have lived all sides of the journey. In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, Matt sits down with someone who has: Kevin Griffin — • Head Softball Coach at Belhaven University • Associate Athletic Director • Former college & semipro baseball player • And father of MLB’s top minor league prospect, Connor Griffin Kevin brings a rare perspective: parent, coach, recruiter, evaluator, and someone who has navigated the pressure,...
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The Truth About Baseball Development (According To MLB Scouts)
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most travel ball parents focus on the wrong things — more reps, more tournaments, more lessons, more mechanics, more “fixes.” But in this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, MLB agent Matt Hannaford brings together two of baseball’s most respected insiders to reveal what actually develops a player: • Hugh Quattlebaum — former MLB hitting coach, coordinator, and father of three boys in the youth baseball world • Gus Quattlebaum — Vice President of Scouting Development & Integration for the Boston Red Sox Together, they break down the essential (and often misunderstood)...
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3 Steps To Fix the Parent-Player Relationship In Youth Baseball
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Every parent watching their son strike out in the bottom of the ninth has felt that surge of frustration — not because of the strikeout itself, but because of the unspoken expectations they carry. Expectations about effort. About performance. About gratitude. About results. But here’s the problem: most parents never say these expectations out loud — and because of that, players don’t know the rules, don’t know the standards, and don’t know how to win. The result? Disappointment for parents, defensiveness for players, and a breakdown in trust that lasts far beyond a single...
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Choosing The RIGHT Travel Baseball Team - What You Need To Consider
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Every travel team promises “elite competition,” “national exposure,” and “top-tier development.” But when you're the parent making decisions, the real questions are much simpler — and far more important: What actually serves my son’s long-term future? What protects our family’s time, budget, and sanity? In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, MLB agent Matt Hannaford breaks down the four essential questions every baseball parent must ask before choosing a travel team. You’ll learn how to evaluate a program’s philosophy, how to separate hype from real development, how...
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What Players REALLY Keep: The Shocking Truth About MLB Taxes & NIL Money
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most baseball parents think only about signing bonuses, NIL money, and the path to the pros — but this episode of The Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford pulls you inside the real tax strategy, financial planning, and hidden money traps that shape a player’s baseball career long before the big leagues. Former pro player and CPA Steven CASERES breaks down the real financial side of baseball development — from how players are actually paid in the minor leagues, to why state taxes can quietly take six figures out of a signing bonus, to the truth about NIL money and whether young...
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MLB GM Secrets: The Part They Don’t Share with Fans
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most parents only see the rankings, the showcase stats, and the hype — but this episode of The Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford pulls you inside the real world of MLB draft strategy, where decisions are made long before a player ever hears their name called. Former Minnesota Twins GM Thad Levine reveals what truly drives baseball scouting insights today, from how MLB teams evaluate players beyond raw tools to why character, adaptability, and leadership quietly determine careers. You’ll hear how clubs weigh high school vs. college talent, why certain pitchers carry heavy risk...
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The Most Dangerous Part of the Agent Business
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
When families judge an agent, they usually see the polished surface—deals, clients, and big-name agencies. But this episode drags you beneath the waterline, where the real danger lies. In a story most baseball families never hear, you’ll learn how a certified MLB agent secretly fed strategy and sensitive information to league officials during the chaotic 2020 COVID negotiations, working directly against the players he was supposed to protect. The leaked texts, the frustration toward the players, and the attempts to undermine union leadership reveal a level of disloyalty that...
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How Setbacks Shape Champions: The Untold Side of Making It to the Big Leagues
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
From back-to-back strikeouts to a historic MLB debut, Houston Astros outfielder Zach Cole’s story is a masterclass in resilience, identity, and unwavering belief. In this episode, he reveals how shifting from chasing approval to living with purpose helped him hit a home run on his very first pitch in the majors. 🧠 Subscribe for weekly mindset transformation stories from elite athletes. 💬 What was your biggest takeaway? Drop it in the comments 👇 What You’ll Learn: Turning failure into fuel: Zach’s mindset shift after a rough AA finish From “baseball player” to a man...
info_outlineWhat role does the MLB Players Association really play—and why should even high school athletes and their families care?
In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, Matt Hannaford sits down with Tony Clark, former All-Star and current Executive Director of the MLBPA, for an unfiltered conversation about the past, present, and future of baseball.
From being a first-round draft pick to now representing thousands of professional athletes, Tony shares a rare, insider look at how labor rights, player empowerment, and education off the field are just as crucial as what happens between the lines.
Together, they explore:
⚾️ The formation and purpose of the MLBPA
⚾️ The legacy of Curt Flood, Marvin Miller, and the ’94 strike
⚾️ The union’s role in youth baseball, NIL, and mental health support
⚾️ Why young players must understand the business of the game
⚾️ How to become the CEO of your own career
This episode is a must-listen for prospects, parents, coaches, and fans who care about the soul of the sport—and the people in it.
🔔 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations with the game’s most influential voices
📤 Share this with a teammate, parent, or coach who needs to hear it
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