Tennessee AD Danny White addresses Tony Vitello departure in statement

Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is headed to The Show to manage the San Francisco Giants. He becomes the first sitting college baseball coach with no previous Major League playing or coaching experience to make the jump.

UT Athletic Director Danny White issued a statement Wednesday following the public news of Vitello leaving for the MLB.

“Congratulations to Tony on this incredible opportunity to lead the San Francisco Giants,” the AD said. “We wish him the best as he embarks on this new chapter in his career and thank him for everything he has done to transform Tennessee baseball into a championship program.

“The growth of baseball on Rocky Top has been remarkable, culminating in the 2024 National Championship.

“We are committed to continuously investing in the program at a championship level across all areas. Furthermore, the upcoming $109 million renovation of Lindsey Nelson Stadium will transform it into one of the premier baseball venues, providing an exceptional experience for the best fans in all of sports.

“Our focus is on our players and coaching staff while finalizing the next steps in this evolving process.”

Vitello logged a 341-131 record while at Tennessee in eight seasons at the helm. He leaves Tennessee as the third-winningest head coach in program history, behind Rod Delmonico (699-396 in 18 seasons) and Bill Wright (408, 308-2 in 19 seasons). His .722 winning percentage is the best in school history.

Under Vitello’s leadership, Tennessee baseball secured the first national championship in program history in 2024 and made three trips to the College World Series in total. Tennessee amassed five-straight super regional appearances from 2021-2025 and made the postseason tournament in six of the seven seasons there was postseason play (2020 no tournament due to COVID) during his stint.     

Vitello won the Southeastern Conference regular season twice (2022, 2024), the conference tournament twice (2022, 2024) and the SEC Eastern Division three times (2021, 2022, 2024) before the conference shifted away from divisions prior to the 2025 campaign.

The skipper was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2022 and was a two-time Perfect Game Coach of the Year (2021, 2022). Vitello also reeled in Coach of the Year honors from the NCBWA (2021) and ABCA (2024).

Vitello’s name has been linked to the opening for weeks since the Giants parted ways with Bob Melvin.