Matt Hannaford
BornJanuary 7, 1981
Thousand Oaks, California, United States
OccupationSports agent
EmployerALIGND Sports Agency
Websitehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hannaford-a9b9966b/

Matt Hannaford is an MLBPA certified player agent and the President and CEO of ALIGND Sports Agency, a boutique athlete management firm built to represent not only the best players in Major League Baseball but those inspired to make the biggest impact on society and future generations.[1] Prior to forming ALIGND, Hannaford was the co-founder and Executive Vice President of MVP Sports Group where he was influential in building an agency that had negotiated over $1.7 Billion Dollars in contracts prior to his departure.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Career

Hannaford grew up in Rancho Murieta California, a private golfing community located east of Sacramento. He played baseball at Elk Grove High School, a school that has produced more Major League Baseball Players on opening day rosters in 2019 than any other high school in the continental United States.[13] Upon graduation, Hannaford continued his playing career at Sacramento City College[14] before transferring to Long Beach State where he would complete a degree in Business Finance. Hannaford was approached by various players seeking advice on their playing careers, leading him to educate himself more on the agent business and to eventually retire from baseball and take a position at a sports agency while still in college. In 2002, Hannaford began working at Beverly Hills Sports Council,[15] an agency that represented stars such as Barry Bonds,[16][17] Curt Schilling,[18] Jose Canseco,[17] Rickey Henderson,[19] Mike Piazza,[18] Trevor Hoffman,[20] Brett Saberhagen[19] and George Brett.[21]

MVP Sports Group

In May 2010, Hannaford left BHSC and helped form MVP Sports Group.[22] There he helped build an agency into one of the premier sports agencies in the business. Hannaford was influential in the management of such stars as Manny Machado[23] who signed a 10 year, $300 Million deal in February 2019 with the San Diego Padres,[24] 3x MVP Award Winner Albert Pujols[25][26][27] and MVP Award Winner's Joey Votto,[28] Josh Donaldson[29] and Jimmy Rollins.[30]

Hannaford also represented some of the game's most popular players prior to their retirement including Nick Swisher,[31] Brian Wilson[32] and Carlos Beltrán.[6] Beyond the stars in the Major Leagues, Hannaford has been responsible for representing some of the game's best young player's including Michael Taylor,[33][34] J.D. Davis,[35] Dylan Carlson,[36][37] Austin Riley,[38] Isiah Kiner Falefa[39] and Jeremiah Jackson.[40][41] Hannaford is also the Godfather to long time client Kurt Suzuki's son Kai.[42]

ALIGND Sports Agency

In October 2020, Hannaford left MVP Sports Group [43] and launched ALIGND Sports Agency. That off-season he negotiated Liam Hendriks' $54 million dollar contract with the Chicago White Sox, a deal that drew widespread praise throughout the industry.[44][45] On August 1, 2022 the Atlanta Braves inked Austin Riley to a 10 year contract worth $212 Million Dollars. A deal negotiated by Hannaford and the largest contract in Braves history.

At ALIGND Hannaford remains focused on building an agency with the intent of expanding the sports representation business beyond simply the negotiation of contracts and deeper into the lives of the clients who they serve.[1]

Contracts

Hannaford played an integral part in 3 of the top 10 largest contracts in baseball history,[46] including Manny Machado's 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, Albert Pujols' 10 year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Joey Votto's 10 year, $225 million extension with the Cincinnati Reds.

Hannaford negotiated multiple record breaking contracts recently. In January of 2021, he negotiated a $54 million dollar contract for All-Star Closer Liam Hendriks which paid Hendriks the largest AAV of any relief pitcher in history,[47][48] and in 2022 he negotiated the largest contract in Braves history, a 10-year $212 Million Dollar contract for Austin Riley.

References

  1. 1 2 https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hannaford-a9b9966b/
  2. ↑ "Released by Marlins, Keefer awaits The Call". Davis Enterprise. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Dan Lozano's MVP Sports Group Hires Baseball Agent Jeff Randazzo". SportsAgentBlog.com. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  4. ↑ Ardaya, Fabian (February 19, 2019). "A look back at another 10-year contract: the Angels' signing of Albert Pujols". The Athletic.
  5. ↑ Todd, Jeff (February 21, 2019). "Padres Sign Manny Machado". MLB Trade Rumors.
  6. 1 2 Dierkes, Tim (November 1, 2011). "Beltran Switches From Boras To Lozano". MLB Trade Rumors.
  7. ↑ Crasnick, Jerry (December 28, 2011). "Carlos Beltran, Cardinals agree". ESPN.
  8. ↑ Polishuk, Mark (December 19, 2013). "Yankees To Sign Carlos Beltran". MLB Trade Rumors.
  9. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (December 3, 2016). "Astros finalize 1-year deal with Beltran". MLB.com.
  10. ↑ Badenhausen, Kurt (June 5, 2013). "The World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2013: Behind The Numbers". Forbes.
  11. ↑ Axisa, Mike (April 2, 2012). "Reds Agree To Extend Joey Votto". MLB Trade Rumors.
  12. ↑ Stephen, Eric (December 5, 2013). "Brian Wilson re-signs with Dodgers". True Blue LA.
  13. ↑ Cooper, J.J. (March 29, 2019). "2019 MLB Opening Day Rosters By The Numbers". Baseball America.
  14. ↑ "Panther Alumni". Sacramento City College. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  15. ↑ "Dan Lozano Leaves Beverly Hills Sports Council With Entire Stable of MLB Players". Forbes.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  16. ↑ Shaikin, Bill (April 8, 2007). "Bonds' agent is perfect for him". Los Angeles Times.
  17. 1 2 VERDUCCI, TOM (June 4, 1993). "BIG DEALS". Sports Illustrated.
  18. 1 2 Mullen, Liz (December 16, 2002). "Ex-AMG hockey agents team up with Beverly Hills Sports Council". Sports Business Journal.
  19. 1 2 Nightengale, Bob (October 8, 1994). "Even Agents Taking a Hit During Baseball Strike". Los Angeles Times.
  20. ↑ Associated Press (January 12, 2011). "All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman retires". Newsday.
  21. ↑ Links, Zach (January 1, 2014). "Dennis Gilbert Reflects On His Career As Top Agent". MLB Trade Rumors.
  22. ↑ "Player agent Dan Lozano leaves agency, brings Albert Pujols and others with him". USA Today. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  23. ↑ "'Finally a Padre,' Machado arrives in Arizona". 22 February 2019.
  24. ↑ Acee, Kevin (February 22, 2019). "Finally a Padre,' Machado arrives in Arizona". The San Diego Union Tribune.
  25. ↑ BERNACCHIO, ADAM (November 24, 2009). "Albert Pujols Unanimously Wins NL MVP". Bleacher Report.
  26. ↑ "Pujols beats out Howard for NL MVP award". November 19, 2008.
  27. ↑ "Pujols named NL MVP". November 15, 2005.
  28. ↑ Dierkes, Tim (November 22, 2010). "Joey Votto Wins NL MVP Award". MLB Trade Rumors.
  29. ↑ Chisholm, Gregory (November 19, 2015). "Donaldson is runaway winner for BBWAA AL MVP". MLB.com.
  30. ↑ "Rollins, who spurred Phils into playoffs, wins MVP". ESPN. November 21, 2007.
  31. ↑ Abruzzese, Rob (February 11, 2011). "Correction, Yankees Nick Swisher Has NOT Hired Scott Boras as Agent". Bronx Baseball Daily.
  32. ↑ "Free Agent Profile". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  33. ↑ "Royals Sign Michael A. Taylor".
  34. ↑ Payne, Erik (May 15, 2018). "MICHAEL A. TAYLOR IS THE BEST DEFENSIVE OUTFIELDER IN BASEBALL — RIGHT NOW". The Nats Blog.
  35. ↑ Pacific Coast League (September 5, 2018). "J.D. Davis wins PCL Batting Title". MILB.COM.
  36. ↑ "For Rookie of the Year candidates Dylan Carlson and Nick Madrigal, the path to the big leagues started as high school teammates".
  37. ↑ Callis, Jim (September 17, 2019). "Here's the final Top 100 Prospects list of the year". MLB.com.
  38. ↑ "2019 Atlanta Braves Top 10 Prospects Chat". December 3, 2018.
  39. ↑ "Home". aligndsports.com.
  40. ↑ "Jeremiah Jackson, a 'once in a lifetime' talent, embodies Angels' farm system resurgence".
  41. ↑ Thomas, Ben (June 22, 2018). "Mr. Baseball Jeremiah Jackson wins national Player of Year award". AL.com.
  42. ↑ Rosenthal, Ken (October 24, 2019). "Rosenthal: For Kurt Suzuki, a long but worthwhile journey from walk-on to World Series hero". The Athletic.
  43. ↑ @JonHeyman (October 26, 2020). "Agent news: Hearing Matt Hannaford, the longtime righthand man of Dan Lozano at MVP, is leaving the agency. Hannafo…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  44. ↑ "MLB Now on Liam Hendriks deal | 01/12/2021". MLB.com.
  45. ↑ "Inside the Clubhouse: Liam Hendriks, Brad Hand and the free-agent pitching market". 18 January 2021.
  46. ↑ "MLB Contracts". Spotrac.
  47. ↑ "White Sox sign reliever Liam Hendriks to record-breaking contract".
  48. ↑ "Liam Hendriks named to All-Star team as replacement". 5 July 2019.
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