KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is reportedly heading to the major leagues to become the new manager for the San Francisco Giants, according to The Athletic.
The report broke on Saturday, and this comes after Vitello’s name has been linked to the Giants opening since September by The Athletic.
Vitello has seen much success at the University of Tennessee, including a national championship in 2024. Under Vitello, the Vols have had a 235-99 record, including a .580 win percentage in SEC play.
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The coach is also under contract with Tennessee, signed on to head up the Vols through June of 2029.
No deal has been signed by Vitello and the Giants yet, and there’s been no official announcement.
Following the report, Eric Cain of WVLT partner Volquest reported that Vitello shared that he had not accepted the job with San Francisco.
Later Saturday afternoon, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the same, saying Vitello and the Giants had yet to finalize a deal.
Passan also reported a decision is likely to become final in the coming days.
The decision on whether Tennessee coach Tony Vitello will be the next manager of the San Francisco Giants is expected to come in the next 24 to 72 hours, sources tell me and @PeteThamel. Vitello has emerged as the top target of the Giants, but the sides have yet to reach a deal.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 18, 2025
Should Vitello leave for the MLB, it would be his first experience as a player or coach at the professional level.
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