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 constant instruction creates dependence instead of confidence, and why the car ride home becomes the most damaging moment in a young player's experience.

You'll learn how to shift from control to clarity, from pressure to trust, and from performance-based approval to the kind of support that allows young players to grow — not just as athletes, but as men.

If you're a dad who wants to stay involved without damaging the relationship or the development process, this episode will change how you show up.

Subscribe for weekly guidance on navigating youth baseball, parenting, and player development with clarity, truth, and strategy.

• Why your son — not you — must be the hero of his baseball journey
• How dads unintentionally create pressure by trying to "help" too much
• The difference between being the hero and being the guide
• Why constant instruction kills confidence and ownership
• How to communicate support without controlling outcomes
• What questions build trust instead of resentment
• Why the car ride home is the most dangerous moment for relationships
• How approval tied to performance damages long-term growth
• What happens when dads step into the guide role instead
• How this shift impacts your son far beyond baseball

Your son must carry the challenge — that's how growth happens.
Your power as a father doesn't come from control; it comes from clarity and trust.
Your words, tone, and presence either build safety or create fear.
When you guide instead of manage, your son plays freer, communicates more, and grows faster.

Matt Hannaford is a 25-year MLB agent and founder of Aligned Sports. He has represented Hall of Famers, negotiated landmark contracts, and now helps families navigate youth baseball, recruiting, and development with clarity, honesty, and long-term perspective.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfhannaford/
Website: https://www.aligndsports.com/
YouTube (subscribe for weekly episodes): https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent

#BaseballParents #YouthBaseball #MostValuableAgent

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, opportunity, and noise of both youth baseball and youth softball. He breaks down the myths families fall for, the traps parents accidentally set, how to handle multi-sport decisions, and how he intentionally slowed down Connor's journey instead of chasing exposure.

You'll learn why early recruiting hurt more than it helped, why parents should stop forcing sports onto kids, why the college sports landscape has changed for the worse, and how to protect your child's love for the game in an era that pushes them to specialize earlier and chase more.

Kevin also shares the real story behind Connor's reclass, his injuries, draft process, the home visits, and how failure shaped who he is. This episode is packed with insights for both softball and baseball families navigating development, recruiting, and the emotional side of youth sports.

Subscribe for weekly college recruiting strategy, baseball development insight, and leadership lessons for parents.

• Why parents must stop forcing sports — and how to spot true passion
• The biggest myth about Division III softball (and why scholarships aren't what you think)
• How early specialization hurts athleticism, confidence, and longevity
• Why playing too many games and not enough practice is destroying development
• The difference between good exposure and harmful overexposure
• Why parents must treat each child differently — and why "fair" is not "equal"
• What college softball recruiting really looks like behind the scenes
• How NIL has changed college sports — and not for the better
• Why attitude matters more than talent in the recruiting process
• The real story of Connor Griffin's reclass, injury, draft pressure, and development
• How home visits work — and why families must set boundaries
• The #1 parenting mistake that damages the parent–athlete relationship
• Why kids play to please their parents — and how that affects behavior, confidence & burnout

Kevin Griffin is the Head Softball Coach and Associate Athletic Director at Belhaven University. He has coached for over 20 years, developing nationally ranked programs and helping athletes grow on and off the field. He is also the father of MLB's top minor league prospect, Connor Griffin, giving him a rare dual perspective into both youth sports development and the professional scouting world.

Matt Hannaford is a 25-year MLB agent and founder of Aligned Sports. He has negotiated historic contracts, represented MVPs and All-Stars, and now delivers weekly insight on development, scouting, and the business of baseball.

Email: kgriffin@bellhaven.edu

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfhannaford/
Website: https://www.aligndsports.com/
YouTube (subscribe for weekly coaching): https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent

#YouthBaseball #TravelSoftball #TravelBaseball

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) ingredients that help players become confident, adaptable, self-aware competitors — not just hitters with pretty mechanics. Hugh shares lessons from his upcoming book on youth development, while Gus provides rare insight into how scouts truly evaluate players, what stands out, and what hurts a young athlete's projection.

You'll learn why players should fail more, why aggression beats perfection, why kids must learn to coach themselves, and why "zoo tiger" development is holding thousands of players back.

If you're a parent, coach, or player navigating travel baseball today, this is the conversation you never get — directly from the people who work with elite athletes at the highest levels of the game.

Subscribe for weekly MLB development tools, scouting insight, and strategy for baseball families.

• Why "control the controllables" is the foundation of great development
• The difference between conditional vs. unconditional confidence
• Why aggression is a competitive advantage — and passivity kills performance
• How parents unintentionally create fear, confusion, and hesitation
• The power of game-like reps vs. traditional drills
• How major league teams train hitters to prepare for real in-game chaos
• What scouts actually look for: decision-making, adjustments, process
• How to teach players to coach themselves — and why it matters long-term
• Why individualization beats one-size-fits-all mechanics every time
• The dangers of TikTok hitting trends & constant tinkering
• How to design practice with the end in mind
• What it really means to "love the game more at 18 than at 8"

Vice President, Scouting Development & Integration — Boston Red Sox
Gus oversees professional scouting, integration, and evaluation strategy for the Red Sox after decades in MLB scouting across multiple organizations. His career includes influential roles with the Yankees, Orioles, Expos, and Red Sox, shaping amateur, pro, and international scouting systems. He is known for his process-driven approach, holistic evaluation, and deep expertise in player projection.

Professional Hitting Coach
Hugh has coached hitters at every level of professional baseball — including serving as Major League Hitting Coach for the New York Mets and Assistant Hitting Coach for the Atlanta Braves. He has led hitting development departments, coordinated minor league systems, and built player plans for elite hitters. As a father of three young ballplayers, Hugh brings a unique blend of big-league expertise and real-world youth baseball experience.

Matt Hannaford is a 25-year MLB agent and founder of Aligned Sports. He has negotiated historic contracts, represented MVPs and All-Stars, and now delivers weekly insights on development, scouting, and the business of baseball.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfhannaford/
Website: https://www.aligndsports.com/
YouTube (subscribe for weekly coaching): https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent

#YouthBaseball #TravelBall #PlayerDevelopment #MLBScouting #HittingCoach #BaseballParents #MostValuableAgent #BaseballMindset #BaseballTraining #ScoutingInsight