With the San Francisco Giants hiring Tony Vitello as the team's next manager, he comes from the college level with the University of Tennessee, bringing an interesting experience to the professional level. As Vitello joins the Giants as the next manager, he would speak on how the move came about to move from the college to the professional stage.
Vitello would speak on MLB Network about the move, saying that the “glow” of the exciting news has worn off and is working on the final stages of the coaching staff. In terms of how it came about, Vitello would say it started with San Francisco selecting Gavin Kilen, a Tennessee Volunteer, with their first-round pick in July's MLB Draft, expressing “how much time” the front office went into that decision.
This would be the relative beginning of the contact between Vitello and the organization.
“I think how my whole career came about is being surrounded by good players,” Vitello said. “And the Giants selected one of our best players, Gavin Kilen, with their first round selection in the draft. And these clubs, I hope the fans realize how much time scouts and front offices put into these decisions, and it's like any decision, it's a good one if it works out, and it's criticized if it doesn't, but the time and effort is put in.”
New @SFGiants manager Tony Vitello shares his experience being hired out of Tennessee:
“The idea started to get floated a little bit and I didn't know how serious it was…”#MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/a6e53VPuu2
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 18, 2025
Tony Vitello on communication with the Giants before being hired
Though Vitello left Tennessee for the Giants, his college job no doubt had a part in the decision, as the first-time MLB manager would go into how the team contacted him about other players they acquired. From then, “the idea started to get floated” about him being their next manager.
“So there's a lot of conversations,” Vitello said. “And then when Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell are traded for, there's background research there, and then there's follow-up, like, ‘Hey, any tips on how to coach these guys or who they are.' And then the idea started to get floated a little bit, and I didn't know how serious it was, but a lot of steps went down, and a lot of drama went down. And here we are.”
At any rate, San Francisco looks to improve after finishing 81-81 last season.
