PERFECT GAME ADDS MOST VALUABLE AGENT PODCAST TO EXPANDING PGTV LINEUP

SANFORD, Fla., March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Perfect Game, the world's largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, and PerfectGame.TV (PGTV) today announced the addition of The Most Valuable Agent podcast to PGTV's growing programming lineup. Hosted by former collegiate baseball player-turned-agent Matt Hannaford, The Most Valuable Agent, which was previously titled The Advocate, will make its PGTV debut tonight at 5:00 pm ET and air weekly in that timeslot while also available on demand at PerfectGame.TV.

Designed to provide invaluable insights, The Most Valuable Agent podcast goes behind the scenes with players, parents, scouts, front office executives, team doctors and other key figures in the baseball industry. The podcast aims to untangle the journey from travel baseball to the big leagues, offering expert advice and real-world experiences to support young athletes in their pursuit of a professional career, and has become a go-to source for navigating an athlete's path to Major League Baseball. Guests have included former major league players Jonny Gomes, Kurt Suzuki and Dallas Braden, former Colorado Rockies General Manager Bill Geivett, Perfect Game VP of Scouting Jered Goodwin and MLB Draft analyst Jonathan Mayo, among others.

"The addition of Most Valuable Agent complements Perfect Game TV's programming lineup and aligns with our mission to educate and support aspiring baseball players and their families," said Perfect Game Chairman Rick Thurman. "Matt Hannaford's deep industry knowledge and firsthand experience make this podcast an essential resource for anyone looking to understand the complexities of the game and further drives home Perfect Game's mission to make PGTV destination viewing for everyone involved in youth sports."

Hannaford, president and CEO of ALIGND Sports Agency, has been a certified MLB player agent since 2002 and previously worked for MVP Sports Group and the Beverly Hills Sports Council before opening his own agency in 2020, where he negotiated Austin Riley's $212 million extension with the Atlanta Braves, the largest contract in Braves franchise history.

"I am thrilled to partner with Perfect Game, the undeniable leader and trendsetter in amateur baseball, to bring The Most Valuable Agent Podcast to PGTV," said Hannaford. "Perfect Game's commitment to player development and education mirrors my mission to empower players and parents with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate the business side of baseball. Together, we can ensure that those seeking guidance have access to the resources and insights necessary to make informed decisions and achieve success. I'm honored to be an advocate for players and their families and grateful to Perfect Game for providing this incredible opportunity to make a difference."

The Most Valuable Agent joins PGTV's expanding podcast network, which includes The Step Up Podcast, hosted by renowned travel baseball coach Nelly Gonzalez, and The Pure Athlete Podcast, led by former MLB outfielder Jeff Francoeur. These shows offer their own unique perspective to youth athletics and collectively enhance PGTV's commitment to delivering high-quality content that informs, inspires and guides athletes and their families on their baseball journeys.

For more information on The Most Valuable Agent podcast and other PGTV programming, visit PerfectGame.TV or follow PGTV on social media.

Media contact:

Greg Casterioto / [email protected] / (267) 246-5709

About Perfect Game

Perfect Game is the world's largest elite youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, producing over 9,800+ events, hundreds of thousands of games, and showcases each year across the country. Perfect Game is dedicated to giving amateur players exposure to take their game to the next level, whether that be in college or in the professional ranks. At Perfect Game events, players perform with top-level competition in front of college recruiters and professional scouts from all over the country. Because of this, these events prove to be invaluable to college coaches as well as Major League Baseball, as they can scout a large population of talented ballplayers in one location. To date, more than 2,210 players that have played in a Perfect Game event have also played in Major League Baseball. Since 2003, 15,134 Perfect Game alumni have been selected in the MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft. In the 2023 Draft, for example, 95 percent of all players selected had played in Perfect Game events, and every player selected on the Draft's first day had previously attended Perfect Game events.

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