Categories
Headline MLB Players MLB Teams Sports Agents

Mike Napoli Speaks Very Highly Of Baseball Agent Brian Grieper

Mike Napoli appears to be very fond of his agent based on statements made within the past week. Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Napoli appears to be very fond of his agent based on statements made within the past week. Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Napoli appears to be very fond of his agent based on statements made within the past week. Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

A lengthy article on Mike Napoli written by Alex Speier of WEEI not only provides excellent insight about the new power hitter in the middle of the Boston Red Sox lineup, but also his agent.  Napoli’s agent, Brian Grieper, is a South Florida-based baseball agent who is part of the growing team at Paragon Sports International.  Speier’s article goes back as far as Grieper’s early twenties, when he was a student at the University of Miami and hustling as a law student to build up his practice.

In fact, according to the article, it was while Grieper was in law school that he discovered Napoli, a product of Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Florida.  Grieper overcame the disadvantage of being a rather young agent and gained the trust of Napoli’s parents.  Soon thereafter, he became Napoli’s advisor and the rest is history.

Napoli seems to be very fond of Grieper.  One of the best testimonials for an agent that I have ever read is embedded within the article.  Napoli said,

“He’s one of my best friends. We’ve built a relationship over the years. He’s a guy who’s out for my best interests. I felt that. I’m a pretty good reader of people. He’s a good person. I’m loyal to people who are good to me. He’s been there for me my whole career.”

The bulk of the article concerns Napoli’s projected 3-year, $39 million deal with the Red Sox and the major speed bump of a medical diagnosis of avascular necrosis in Napoli’s hips.  Grieper was quoted saying, “Honestly, there were times when he and I were on the phone those first couple of weeks, that first week, where I definitely shed some tears.”  And Napoli said, “It was crazy. There was tough times, definitely. I was definitely frustrated at times, but the things [Grieper] did for me — he went to extreme lengths to find out what was in my best interests not just from a baseball standpoint but for my life, for my future and just normal life.”

After all the stress and anxiety, the Red Sox, Napoli and Grieper agreed to a 1-year, $5 million guaranteed deal with the possibility of earning a total of $13 million if Napoli stays healthy.  “[Grieper] has done everything possible to get the most for me in my best interests,” said Napoli to Speier.  “It definitely feels good to pay someone who’s looking out for you and your best interests.”

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.