{"podcast":{"title":"Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford","slug":"most-valuable-agent-with-matt-hannaford-6966172","podcast_index_feed_id":6966172,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/538017/rss","website_url":"https://sites.libsyn.com/538017","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/6/3/2/3/6323116aac6709c3d959afa2a1bf1c87/MVA_FINAL_COVER.png","author":"Matt Hannaford","episode_count":106,"summary":"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","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/most-valuable-agent-with-matt-hannaford-6966172"},"episode":{"title":"The Biggest Gamble of Austin Riley's Career.","slug":"the-biggest-gamble-of-austin-riley-s-career","published_at":"2025-12-24T12:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/most-valuable-agent-with-matt-hannaford-6966172/the-biggest-gamble-of-austin-riley-s-career","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/most-valuable-agent-with-matt-hannaford-6966172","url":"https://f19dff7d-cba9-4d19-b009-9fdbdd27ffc9.libsyn.com/the-biggest-gamble-of-austin-rileys-career","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/f19dff7d-cba9-4d19-b009-9fdbdd27ffc9/Final_Audio_053_Austin_Riley_MVA.mp3?dest-id=4634517","summary":"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, how constant communication removed regret from hard decisions, and why they accepted that parts of a \"normal\" childhood would be missed — without ever losing alignment as a family. Austin opens up about early pro struggles, going 0-for-23 with 18 strikeouts, getting sent back to Triple-A after big league camp, and learning that failure is a skill that must be developed, not avoided. He shares how routine, patience, and learning from veterans helped him survive — and thrive — at the highest level. The conversation moves through injuries, physical evolution, learning how to train his body, and why setbacks ultimately led to him being in the best physical shape of his life. The episode closes with gratitude, favorite baseball memories, rapid-fire insights, and the lesson that ties everything together: Trust the process. This episode is essential listening for parents navigating youth baseball, recruiting, pro dreams, setbacks, injuries, pressure, and the business of sports — and a reminder that development is long, messy, and worth it when trust stays intact. Subscribe for weekly insight on player development, recruiting, and leadership lessons for parents raising athletes. WHAT YOU'LL LE…","meta_description":"Most parents want the roadmap — the blueprint that turns a young athlete into a confident, motivated, successful player. But very few families truly under…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4375,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/most-valuable-agent-with-matt-hannaford-6966172/episodes/the-biggest-gamble-of-austin-riley-s-career/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/most-valuable-agent-with-matt-hannaford-6966172/the-biggest-gamble-of-austin-riley-s-career.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}