The San Francisco Giants are one of the more venturesome teams in MLB, so it’s no surprise they have been looking into the college ranks in their latest search for a new manager. This has rarely been done before in the history of MLB, and the unusual instances were all that memorable. So, it would take a truly special baseball coach to make the immediate jump from campus to the Show.
Enter into the picture: current Tennessee Volunteers head coach Tony Vitello, the 47-year-old sparkplug who just led the program to its first College World Series title in 2024.
You’ve got people from both sides of the diamond, from both the pro and college game, with a different belief system here. Some truly believe Vitello wants to dip his toes into the highest level of organized baseball in the world, while others say it’s a ploy to get more money out of the higher-ups at Rocky Top.
It’s a truly fascinating argument, but Giants President of Baseball Operations (and former Giants’ great) Buster Posey has given Vitello a formal contract offer. And that’s putting it kindly about Posey; he will go down as one of the best catchers in MLB history. If anyone knows talent, and it willing to make a big splash like this, it’s Posey.
We are expecting a yes-or-no decision any day now, so let’s answer some of the questions surrounding this hot topic:
Why is Tony Vitello Being Sought by the San Francisco Giants?
Vitello compiled an impressive 341-131 (72.2 win%), including the 2024 College World Series title. His enthusiastic coaching style would be a welcome change in many ways for the Giants, who have typically been a pitching/defense-first type of team.
San Fran does have a beautiful ballpark, but it’s not built for hitting. Perhaps Posey sees a way for Vitello to get the most out of this Giants team.
Would Tony Vitello Clash with Rafael Devers on the San Francisco Giants?
That would be must-see TV! Seriously, we have no way of knowing exactly what will happen during an MLB season. These guys play 162 games, travel, and they’re always around each other; situations like this could happen.
However, it certainly is interesting that the San Francisco Giants just acquired Rafael Devers last season. If you remember, Devers had a big issue not playing third base for the Boston Red Sox, and the team wanted him to play first base, which he refused. This was an ongoing saga for a short while, but the Red Sox eventually shipped Devers across the country in exchange for mediocre players (at best) and the Giants taking on his salary.
Vitello has a very energetic personality, while Devers is in the “I’m a veteran, leave me alone” stage of his career, so the list of possible outcomes ranges from the two being long-lost best friends to there being a full-blown dugout wrestling match in a June game against the Dodgers. As I said, it would be must-see TV.
Is Tony Vitello Trying to Get a Bigger Contract from University of Tennessee?
There are no confirmed reports, only rumors, about whether Tony Vitello is trying to get a bigger contract out of the University of Tennessee.
Currently, Vitello has an annual $3 million deal at Tennessee, which even includes a $3 million buyout should he leave.
Some rumors have circulated that Vitello would like a deal similar that sets him up at Rocky Top for life, and that’s not the spiciest rumor we’ve ever heard. In reality, Vitello likely wants to make sure he has nothing to worry about for the rest of his professional career – in return for not taking the ultimate shot at a dream MLB job.
Do Any Former Tennessee Volunteers Play for the San Francisco Giants?
The San Francisco Giants selected Tennessee infielder Gavin Kilen in the first round of the 2025 amateur draft.
At the 2025 trade deadline, the team acquired outfielder Drew Gilbert and pitcher Blade Tidwell (who were both recruited by Vitello) from the New York Mets. Gilbert hit .190 with 3 HR and 13 RBI in 39 games this season, while Tidwell had a 9.00 ERA over 15 innings (4 appearances).
Have Any Other College Baseball Coaches Made the Jump to MLB Manager?
The last college baseball coach to jump directly from college baseball head coach to MLB manager was Dick Houser, who coached one season at Florida State University in 1979 before managing the New York Yankees the following season in 1980. Houser would manage the Yankees for four seasons, leading them to a 346-250 (.581 win%) and the ALCS in 1980; he would win the 1985 World Series with the Kansas City Royals.
Jack Stallings managed Florida State from 1966-75 before heading to North of the border to manage the Montreal Expos from 1976-77. He owned a 61-104 career record (.370 win%) and was fired after the 1977 season.
Most recently, Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers has been included in this discussion. Murphy’s Brewers just finished the 2025 MLB regular season with a league-high 97 wins before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. Murphy was head coach at Arizona State University for three different stints (1976-1983, 1985-1989, 1994-2015).
However, Murphy did not make the direct jump from college head coach to MLB manager like Vitello could possibly have done. Murphy spent time as the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers’ bench coach before his current role.
