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Tony Vitello (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Tennessee coach Tony Vitello has agreed to become the next manager of the San Francisco Giants, multiple sources told Baseball America.
The move finalizes one of the most unprecedented transitions in baseball history, as one of college baseballâ€s most successful and dynamic coaches heads to the major leagues to replace Bob Melvin, whom the Giants fired in September. It marks the first time that a major league club has hired a college coach with no professional baseball experience directly into its manager position.
BREAKING: Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello has accepted the Giants manager position, multiple sources told @BaseballAmerica. This is a landmark move. Vitello is the first manager to be hired directly from the college ranks with no pro experience.
— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) October 22, 2025
Vitello, 47, leaves Tennessee after transforming the Volunteers into a national powerhouse since taking over in 2018. He guided the program to its first national championship in 2024 and three College World Series appearances in the past five seasons. He owns the highest winning percentage in program history and was named BA’s 2024 College Coach of the Year.
Under Vitelloâ€s leadership, Tennessee became one of the faces of college baseballâ€s new era: brash, confident and dominant. The Volunteers won a school-record 61 games during their 2024 title run and consistently recruited at a top-five national level. Following that championship season, Vitello signed a five-year contract extension that made him the first college baseball coach to surpass $3 million in annual salary.
A Missouri native and former Arkansas assistant, Vitello earned a reputation for blending elite recruiting with advanced player development. Several of his former players have credited him and his staff for preparing them to excel quickly in professional baseball—a quality that appealed strongly to the Giants as they look to merge player development with clubhouse leadership.
Vitelloâ€s departure marks the end of one of the most successful coaching tenures in college baseball history. Tennessee is expected to move quickly in its search for a successor, with multiple internal candidates likely to receive consideration.