h716a5.icuThe San Francisco Giants are hiring Tennessee Volunteers baseball coach Tony Vitello as the franchise's new manager, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan and Pete Thamel.
The 47-year-old Vitello is making history, as he is becoming the first coach to ever jump from the college level to MLB as a manager without any professional coaching experience.
The Giants confirmed the hire on Wednesday afternoon.
"We're thrilled to welcome Tony to the Giants family," Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said. "Tony is one of the brightest, most innovative, and most respected coaches in college baseball today. Throughout our search, Tony's leadership, competitiveness, and commitment to developing players stood out. His ability to build strong, 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 to be made, as we focus on the future of Giants baseball."
It's an outside-the-box hire for Buster Posey and the Giants, who in hiring Vitello are getting an elite college baseball coach. Vitello's teams at Tennessee have made five NCAA regionals, four super regionals, and three College World Series appearances. The program finally broke through in 2024 when they captured the national championship over Texas A&M.
Vitello will finish his career at Tennessee with a 341-131 record in seven seasons.
He will replace veteran MLB manager Bob Melvin, who was fired last month after two seasons.