Matt Hannaford


Matt Hannaford is the Executive Vice President and MLBPA certified sports agent at MVP Sports Group where he and his partner have built an agency that has negotiated over $1.7 Billion Dollars in contracts since its inception in 2010.

Career

Hannaford grew up in Elk Grove, California, a small farming community located west 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. Upon graduation, Hannaford continued his playing career at Sacramento City College 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, an agency that represented stars such as Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling, Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, Mike Piazza, Trevor Hoffman, Brett Saberhagen and George Brett.

MVP Sports Group

In May 2010, Hannaford left BHSC and helped form MVP Sports Group. There he helped build this newly founded agency into one of the premier sports agencies in the business, where it remains today. Along with Lozano, Hannaford has a roster of stars under his management that include Manny Machado who signed a 10 year, $300 Million deal in February of 2019 with the San Diego Padres, 3x MVP Award Winner Albert Pujols and MVP Award Winner's Joey Votto, Josh Donaldson and Jimmy Rollins.
Hannaford also represented some of the game's most popular players prior to their retirement including Nick Swisher, Brian Wilson and Carlos Beltrán. 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, J.D. Davis, Ryne Stanek, Logan Allen, Dylan Carlson, Cole Winn and Jeremiah Jackson. Hannaford is also the Godfather to long time client Kurt Suzuki's son Kai.

Contracts

Since its inception in 2010, MVP Sports Group has been one of the leading agencies in baseball, having negotiated contracts totaling $1.7 Billion. Lozano and Hannaford are responsible for 3 of the top 10 largest contracts in baseball history, 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.