Tennessee baseball’s Tony Vitello finalizing unprecedented deal with Giants, per report
Published:
Tony Vitello is going where no man like himself has gone before.
The long-rumored target of the San Francisco Giants’ managerial search, Vitello is reportedly finalizing a deal to join the organization. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the news on Wednesday. Vitello will be the first-ever college coach to take over an MLB club without any prior professional experience.
Reports surfaced over the weekend that the Giants were closing in on naming Vitello, 47, their next manager. On Tuesday, Vitello reportedly told his team he hadn’t yet made a decision.
At a Tennessee baseball scrimmage on Tuesday, Vols fans started a “we want Tony” chant
Earlier this month, Vitello called interest from the MLB a “compliment” on the state of what he has built in Knoxville.
An infielder for Mizzou as a player, Vitello had been Tennessee’s head coach since 2018. He compiled a 341-131 record, leading the Volunteers to a national title in 2024. He owns 3 Super Regional wins, 5 NCAA Regional wins, 2 SEC regular-season titles, and 2 SEC Tournament championships as the UT coach.
Prior to landing the Tennessee job, Vitello worked at Mizzou, TCU, and Arkansas. He also spent time with the Salinas Packers of the California Collegiate League. After his playing days with the Tigers, Vitello jumped straight into coaching.
The Vols went 46-19 last season and advanced to the Fayetteville Super Regional.
San Francisco went 81-81 this past season and missed the Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Since winning the World Series in 2014, the Giants have made just 2 Playoff appearances (2016, 2021).
Bob Melvin was hired from the Padres in 2024 but the club quickly jettisoned him after compiling consecutive 80-loss seasons to open his tenure. Melvin reportedly made $4 million with the Giants. Vitello made $3 million to coach the Vols and reportedly held a $3 million buyout.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
