Vitello Makes History: New Giants Manager Comes From College Baseball

Tony Vitello, New Manager of the San Francisco Giants

In a decision that marks a milestone in baseball history, Tony Vitello has been named the new manager of the San Francisco Giants, the team announced this Wednesday. This appointment represents the first time a Major League team has hired a manager directly from a college program, without prior experience as a professional coach. Vitello, who considered staying in Tennessee after winning the 2024 World University Championship, replaces Bob Melvin, who was fired on September 29 after a season with an 81-81 record, the Giants’ fourth consecutive year without reaching the playoffs.

I am incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity. I am excited to lead this group of players and represent the San Francisco Giants. I can’t wait to get started and work to establish a culture that will make the Giants fans proud.

Tony Vitello

Vitello, 47, is recognized as one of the best college baseball coaches, an energetic recruiter who built talent-filled teams and transformed a program that had been in mediocrity for decades. He became the Giants’ top target after former San Francisco catcher Nick Hundley withdrew from consideration. Buster Posey, president of baseball operations for San Francisco, is betting on Vitello’s success at Tennessee to translate into the Major Leagues. Vitello stood out among other candidates, including former Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, and two other former Major League catchers interviewed by the Giants. Posey, in a statement, expressed his enthusiasm for Vitello’s arrival to the Giants family.

We are thrilled to welcome Tony to the Giants family. Tony is one of the brightest, most innovative, and respected coaches in current college baseball. During our search, Tony’s leadership, competitiveness, and commitment to player development stood out. His ability to build strong and cohesive teams and his passion for the game align perfectly with the values of our organization. We look forward to the energy and direction he will bring, along with the memories that will be created, as we focus on the future of Giants baseball.

Buster Posey

Vitello’s ascent to the Major Leagues will occur at a much faster pace. Outside of first place in the National League West in 2021, the Giants have finished third or worse in the division every year since 2017. Evaluators consider the Giants to be a team with less talent than San Diego and Arizona. After more than 10 years as an assistant coach at Missouri, TCU, and Arkansas, Vitello took over the Tennessee program before the 2018 season and recorded a 341-131 record, advancing to the College World Series in 2021, 2023, and 2024. With a couple of first-round draft picks and four second-round picks, Tennessee defeated Texas A&M to win the school’s first baseball national championship last year. Vitello’s energetic personality won him affection in Tennessee. Now, he enters a completely different realm in MLB, where teams are built by baseball operations departments, and the manager is crucial for locker room cohesion, in-game decision-making, bullpen usage, and daily interactions with the media. Tennessee athletic director Danny White issued a statement Wednesday thanking Vitello for elevating the Vols to a “championship program.” The reluctance of MLB teams to turn to the college ranks for managers has been a constant, in contrast to the hiring practices of other professional sports leagues. In an interview in June, Vitello stated that his reputation as a provocateur did not bother him and that he had no plans to change his training approach, which involves challenging limits.