Overview
- San Francisco announced the hire Wednesday with statements from Buster Posey and Tony Vitello welcoming the move.
- Vitello becomes the first MLB manager hired directly from a college head-coaching job with no professional coaching experience, according to multiple outlets.
- Reports indicate the Giants will cover Vitello’s $3 million Tennessee buyout and pay a top-tier first-year manager salary exceeding $3 million annually.
- The 47-year-old compiled a 341–131 record at Tennessee with three College World Series trips and the 2024 national title, and several former Vols are already in the Giants’ system.
- He replaces Bob Melvin, dismissed Sept. 29 after an 81–81 season, as attention shifts to assembling a big-league staff and navigating the transition to a 162-game schedule.