Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is reportedly closing in on a deal to become the next manager of the San Francisco Giants — a groundbreaking move that could see one of college baseball’s brightest minds make the jump to the Major Leagues.
PublishedOctober 18, 2025 4:24 PM EDT•UpdatedOctober 18, 2025 4:25 PM EDT
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The Tennessee Vols could be looking for a new baseball coach by weekend’s end, as Tony Vitello is reportedly close to agreeing to take the San Francisco Giants job.
Over his tenure in Knoxville, the Vols baseball coach has won multiple SEC championships, and the 2024 College World Series, cementing his legacy at Tennessee. Now, there may be another job that is on his bucket list, which would be coaching in the Majors.
The Athletic reported that the Giants and Vitello were ‘Closing In’ on a deal for him to become the next manager.
Who could blame him?
This would be an unprecedented move for a college baseball coach to snag a job in the MLB, and if he wants to leave, Vitello has certainly earned the opportunity.
It just so happens that the news of him potentially being close to accepting the job came on the same day as Tennessee and Alabama are set to play on the football field.
That’s life, it happens. If Vitello were the one who allowed for it to leak, that would be one thing, especially if it came from his agent Jimmy Sexton.
But, the news cycle doesn’t stop, even for college football.
A Bucket List Situation For Tony Vitello
The opportunity to coach in the Majors has always been on Vitello’s bucket list, and while the timing doesn’t help, he’s accomplished his college goals. And, if it doesn’t work at the next level, he can always turn right back around and coach in college baseball.
There’s no denying that this will hurt Tennessee fans, but it’s not as if he’d be headed for Baton Rouge or Fayetteville.
Right now, college baseball is wrapping up Fall Ball, and the timing is never perfect for these types of situations. But, he has also made Tennessee a destination spot in baseball, something that could not be said when he first took the job.
I want to make this clear that a move like this wouldn’t be the same as a college football coach moving on to the NFL. This type of thing rarely happens for a college baseball coach, so it should be added to the context of the entire ordeal.
Could this be a move for Vitello to make more money in Knoxville? I mean, sure, but Tennessee boosters have given him everything he needs to be successful.
At the end of the day, if Vitello moves on to Major League Baseball, he should be thanked on the way up.