The #1 Mistake Travel Ball Parents Make
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Release Date: 11/03/2025
Don’t Let an Injury Ruin Their Financial Future
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most baseball families think “insurance” only becomes relevant after a player signs a pro contract — but the truth is, disability insurance is already shaping decisions in high school recruiting, NIL negotiations, and college roster building. In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, MLB agent Matt Hannaford sits down with David Brookbank, co-founder of Income Protection Consultants (IPC), one of the most trusted independent voices in the disability insurance space for elite athletes. David has spent 30+ years inside disability policy structure, claims, and underwriting — and he’s...
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Why Most Pro Athletes Go Broke - Avoid This Wealth Management Mistake
Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
Most families enter youth and travel baseball thinking the goal is exposure, scholarships, or “getting paid” someday — but the financial reality of the game starts long before a player signs a pro contract. And when money finally shows up (NIL, draft bonuses, big-league paychecks), it often hits fast, loud, and overwhelming. In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, Matt sits down with Kyle Ourso, a wealth advisor who’s spent nearly two decades inside pro baseball — first helping MLB players behind the scenes at Marucci, and now guiding athletes and sudden-net-worth clients through...
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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...
info_outlineAre you searching for the perfect travel team, coach, or showcase? The truth might hit harder than a 95mph fastball. Subscribe for weekly coaching on becoming your son’s best baseball advocate.
Many baseball parents fall into the same trap, believing that success lies somewhere out there: in the next program, the next expert, the next big opportunity. But in this heartfelt solo episode, Matt reveals what truly drives a young athlete’s development—and it’s closer to home than you think.
With over 25 years of experience representing All-Stars, MVPs, and top draft picks, Matt pulls back the curtain on the single biggest mistake families make in youth baseball: outsourcing their power. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, confused, or anxious about your child’s future in this $40 billion travel ball ecosystem, this episode is your wake-up call.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:
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Why “linear thinking” sabotages your son’s growth in travel baseball
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How to become the CEO of your family’s baseball plan—and why it matters
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What really makes advice valuable (Hint: it’s not just who gives it)
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How to filter training, coaching, and team choices through your family’s values
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The internal shift parents must make to lead with clarity and confidence
This episode isn’t just a mindset shift—it’s a framework to help you analyze, strategize, and move forward with purpose. Don’t miss the real-world analogy Matt shares around the MLB draft—it changes everything.
CALL TO ACTION
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