Why Tony Vitello is Ditching No. 22 with the MLB’s San Francisco Giants

KNOXVILLE, TN – March 11, 2025 – Head Coach Tony Vitello of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the West Georgia Wolves and the Tennessee Volunteers at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Drew Garrison/Tennessee Athletics

After unprecedented success with Tennessee baseball, including a hoisting of the national championship, it’s not hard to imagine Tony Vitello’s iconic No. 22 could be retired within the program one day. After his move to the MLB to manage the San Francisco Giants, he’ll have to get used to a new number on his back, though.

Vitello has been introduced by the Giants with the No. 23. However, the reason is out of his hands. The Giants already have the No. 22 retired within the franchise in honor of Will Clark. He was a first-round pick in the 1985 MLB Draft who went on to play eight seasons with San Francisco.

In this time, Clark made five All-Star appearances and was in the top five of MVP votes in the National League four times. In 1989, Clark hit at a .333 clip with 23 home runs to help the Giants win 92 games and reach the World Series for the first time since 1962.

Tony will be rocking 2️⃣3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/uPBjBeCtSa

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) October 30, 2025

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Vitello leaves Tennessee amidst fall practice and ahead of his ninth season as head coach. The 47-year-old head coach arrived in Knoxville in 2017 and completely rejuvenated a Vols program that lacked recent success. Tennessee returned to the NCAA Tournament in his second year as head coach and to the College World Series in his fourth year.

In Vitello’s eight seasons as head coach, he turned UT into one of the best programs in the country. Tennessee won two SEC Regular-Season and SEC Tournament championships, made the super regionals five times, made the College World Series three times and won the 2024 National Championship — the first in program history under his watch. Vitello ends his stint at Tennessee with a 341-131 record.