The San Francisco Giants made waves last week by hiring Tennessee Volunteers baseball coach Tony Vitello to be their new manager. It was a historic move by the Giants, as Vitello is the first college coach to become an MLB manager without any prior professional coaching experience.
Vitello, who was officially introduced this week, is a considerable gamble by San Francisco. Despite his lack of pro experience (he never played in the Major Leagues, either) and relative youth at age 47, the Giants chose him over veteran MLB managers such as Derek Shelton and Rocco Baldelli.
In his defense, Vitello was one of the best coaches in college baseball, leading the Volunteers to three College World Series appearances and their first national championship in 2024. He knows how to build a program, maintain a winning culture and manage big games.
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who pitched against Vitello’s team while he was at LSU, believes he’s one of the few college coaches capable of making a successful transition to the big leagues.
“I think out of all the people who are in college baseball, there are probably three or four that could make the jump to being a Major League manager. I think Vitello’s one of them. He’s a winner,” Skenes said in an appearance on CBS Sports this week. “I think in terms of a learning curve, he’ll figure it out pretty quick. He’s sharp. He’s a winner.”
Story continues below advertisement
San Francisco is banking on it, giving Vitello a three-year contract with a vesting option for a fourth year.
The Giants are hoping he can turn things around in the Bay Area after four straight seasons without a playoff berth. The club has hovered around .500 during that time, so they’re hoping Vitello can give them a spark and help them compete for a playoff berth.
Story continues below advertisement
Vitello represents a considerable change from Bob Melvin, who just turned 64. Melvin has 22 years of MLB managing experience, but San Francisco is hoping that Vitello has a better feel for the modern game and can connect with his players better than his predecessor did.
More Pirates: Twins Reportedly Pick Former Pirates Manager As New Skipper
Featured image via Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images