Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford

Episode: MLB GM Secrets: The Part They Don't Share With Fans
Date: November 19, 2025
Guest: Thad Levine (Former GM: Minnesota Twins, Assistant GM: Texas Rangers, Executive Roles with Rockies & Dodgers)

Episode Overview

In this in-depth conversation, host and veteran MLB agent Matt Hannaford sits down with Thad Levine, former General Manager of the Minnesota Twins, to peel back the curtain on the opaque world of front office baseball operations. Together, they discuss what truly happens behind closed doors with MLB executives—details rarely shared publicly with fans, prospects, or parents. They cover strategies for player evaluation, nuances in the draft process, how clubs measure intangibles, the business side of trades and contracts, and the real-life challenges players face as they climb to the majors. This episode is a goldmine for aspiring players, their families, and hardcore baseball aficionados who crave a look at the mechanics, humanity, and strategy that drive modern baseball beyond the box score.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Thad Levine’s MLB Journey: From Intern to GM

• Thad’s Path: Started as a business-side intern with the Dodgers, transitioned—almost by accident—into a baseball operations/scouting role.
  • “We literally had like 12 to 14 people who worked full time in the front office at that time. So I was hired to be an advanced scout... I was watching VHS tapes… It would take me about six hours to clip every pitch from a game and map it to video, then create a stat package.” [02:00]
• Mentorship’s Role: Early career support from figures like Bill “Gyvo” Gad and Dan O’Dowd taught him the value of being thrown in the deep end and learning on the fly.

MLB Talent Evaluation: The True “Secret Sauce”

• Evolution of Scouting: Player evaluations have shifted from subjective, “gut feel” approaches to highly sophisticated, data-driven models—but with heavy emphasis on character and unseen intangibles.
  • “We ascribe a lot of character values to that. It's more than just running out the infield popup… Is the player the type of person who would rather go 0 for 3 and win or go 2 for 3 and lose? Are they helping their teammates around them?” [07:21]
• Force Multipliers: Clubs actively seek out “heart and soul” players – those whose unselfishness, leadership, and behind-the-scenes work raise the entire team’s performance. Think David Ross on the Cubs or Joe Mauer on the Twins.
  • “These are the guys that always left you scratching your head… like, I wonder why this player has had a longer career than most… The name they always brought up was Ross. David Ross was the glue.” [11:21]
• Intangibles: Teams routinely observe prospects in multi-sport settings and off-field contexts, searching for adaptability and authentic competitiveness.

The Draft: Decoding Decision-Making for Parents and Players

• What Scouts Actually Look For: Beyond velocity and home runs, teams are obsessed with work ethic, adaptability, response to adversity, and team-first mentality.
• High School vs. College Draft Strategy:
  • Highest risk: High school pitchers—especially right-handers.
  • Lowest risk: College position players (due to more complete data, physical maturity, and predictability).
    • “If all things are equal, you’re probably going to take the college position player early... Easier to find pitching later in the draft than impact position players.” [17:41]
• Risk Profiles: Much of MLB’s recent draft philosophy is shaped by injury risks (especially for young, velocity-heavy arms) and how players adjust when facing more balanced opposition after high school showcases.
• Position Preference: Strong organizational bias toward up-the-middle players (shortstops, catchers, center fielders, and starting pitchers) in early rounds for their versatility and defensive value.

The “Business Side”: Trade Logic, Negotiations, and Player Value

• Blocked Prospects & Patience:
  • Even if a young star is “blocked” by a veteran on the MLB roster, it’s critical for the player to keep performing—opportunity will find them via open spots or trades.
  • “If you keep performing at an elite level, people are going to come get you… It’s one of the toughest parts about professional sports… there are very few professions out there where one day you could be living in one city, the next day you could be reporting to another.” [57:10]
• Front Office Analytics: Organizations track all minor leaguers league-wide, looking for potential trade targets—especially if a big league club “blocks” a prospect.
• Trade Negotiations:
  • Not the cutthroat, adversarial process fans imagine.
  • GMs value “win-win” deals; integrity and relationships are crucial for long-term organizational success.
    • “One of the measures of a person is how do you handle leverage… do you put your foot on their throat or do you extend the hand to lift them up? It’s a look in the mirror moment.” [62:07]

How Failure & Development are Prized

• Failure as Growth: Teams want prospects to face adversity—in the minors if possible—so they learn to adjust, recover, and show resilience before hitting the pressure-packed majors.
  • “We are seeking those opportunities in the minor leagues constantly because you’re not judged by the adversity you face. It’s how you face the adversity that you experienced.” [53:05]
• Progress Over Perfection: Success is measured not just in statistics, but in year-over-year development, adaptability, and application of learning.

The Combine, Intangibles, and the Agent’s Role

• Combines & Interviews: The MLB draft combine gives front offices a rare window into a player’s mindset in interviews—often influencing draft boards more than 40-yard dash times or batting practice.
  • “The thing that we get the most out of that is not lining all the kids up at shortstop... It’s the fact that we get to have an interview with the kid, and that is invaluable.” [37:47]
• Support Systems Matter: Clubs examine a player’s familial and mentor network; they're seeking not just "what you are," but "what, and who, will help you grow further."
• Agent’s Insight: Agents don’t just chase dollars; top advisors strategically match clients with organizations best equipped to develop their strengths (and, if necessary, work on deficiencies).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Modern Scouting

“Talent is something we can enhance once you get into the player development system. But when you walk in the door with these leadership qualities... these are the things that we're really hunting.” – Thad Levine [11:05]

On What Can’t Be Faked

“You guys as an organization, you have enough resources, you're going to figure out if what they're trying to show you is genuine or not. You're not going to be able to fake that long enough.” – Matt Hannaford [14:18]

On the Draft’s Human Side

“Nobody is saying that a young man who's 17 or 20 years old is a finished product... The goal is to provide every one of these players with the resources to excel. But—at some point, it's up to them.” – Thad Levine [44:13]

On Front Office Reality

“Treat everyone fairly, for sure. But I'm not sure you should treat everyone the same. It's just not realistic.” – Thad Levine (on opportunity and investment for top draft picks) [49:13]

On Failure and Resilience

“We want to know how you counter punch. Everybody in the game gets knocked on their caboose at a time. How do you bounce up?... It’s a constant game of, of punching and counter punching.” – Thad Levine [53:05]

On Negotiating with Integrity

“If my first offer you accepted, you could hold your head high—like, we got a fair deal done... How do you handle the leverage? When somebody's laying down on the ground, do you put your foot on their throat or do you extend the hand to lift them up?” – Thad Levine [62:07]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Thad’s MLB Origin Story, Intern to GM:
  [00:12 – 04:15]
• How Teams Build the Draft Board & Value Intangibles:
  [07:21 – 14:48]
• High School vs. College Prospects—Risk Profiles:
  [17:41 – 24:43]
• Why High School Pitching Has Become So Risky:
  [24:43 – 27:11]
• Role of College Programs, Coaching & Development:
  [27:46 – 34:35]
• The Combine’s Impact & Player Interviews:
  [37:47 – 46:47]
• Player Value in Trades and the Myth of “Blocked” Prospects:
  [55:19 – 62:07]
• Inside Real-Life Negotiations & Integrity in Deals:
  [62:07 – 66:47]
• Rapid Fire — Favorite Player, Trade Misconceptions, Dream Negotiation:
  [67:18 – 69:41]
• Closing Thoughts & Podcast Plug:
  [70:17 – End]

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers a rare, candid look at both the science and art behind MLB front office decisions—the 60% fans never see. Whether you’re a player, parent, baseball junkie, or someone fascinated by high-stakes business, you’ll walk away with invaluable insight about what truly separates good from great in the big leagues—on and off the field.

Guest’s Podcast Plug:
Check out Thad Levine’s show, Rosters to Rings, for more executive-level, behind-the-scenes perspectives.

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