Buster Posey Details Key Trait New Giants Manager Tony Vitello Wants in Coaches

The San Francisco Giants have practically assembled its first coaching staff under rookie manager Tony Vitello.

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The San Francisco Giants haven’t formally announced new manager Tony Vitello’s coaching staff yet. But most of the hires have been reported.

Vitello has put an emphasis on experience in key roles, given that he’s a first-year Major League manager and has never worked in pro baseball. Two of his coaches have managerial experience. His bench coach, Jayce Tingler, led the San Diego Padres for two seasons. Infield coach Ron Washington led the Texas Rangers to a pair of American League pennants and was the manager of the Los Angeles Angels the past two seasons before he had quadruple bypass surgery during last season.

President of baseball operations Buster Posey spoke to MLB Network during the winter meetings, and he was asked about Vitello, the hire and what comes next.

Buster Posey on Tony Vitello’s Coaches

"He has a great baseball acumen, he's going to be a real connector of people. Hopefully it's something our fanbase picks up on really quick."

- Buster Posey on @SFGiants new manager Tony Vitello

MLB Network x @SageUSAmerica pic.twitter.com/XySBmoLgu4

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 9, 2025

Posey said that Vitello likes to joke that he’s the “dumbest person in the room,” but respects the former Tennessee coach’s baseball acumen. He also respects how he’s gone about assembling his coaching staff. He said Vitello is accounting for the new school approach that caters more to players, something Posey wasn’t used to at the start of his career behind the plate with the Giants.

Vitello is looking for one key trait and commitment from his new coaches, Posey said.

“Tony has talked about a lot as he wants to put a staff together where the players are not going to want for anything and I think he's done a really nice job of doing that,” Posey said.

The rest of the staff, as reported by multiple outlets, includes hitting coaches Hunter Mense and Oscar Bernard, pitching coaches Justin Meccage, Frank Anderson and Christian Wonders, bullpen coach Jesse Chavez, along with catching coach Alex Burg and quality control coach Taira Uematsu.

Vitello will lean into Tingler’s and Washington’s experience as he prepares for his first season. But they won’t be the only ones. Two Giants legends in the manager’s chair — Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker — are part of the organization as special assistants to Posey.

Vitello takes over the Giants after spending eight seasons at Tennessee, where he spent eight seasons rebuilding the Volunteers into one of the best baseball programs in NCAA Division I. That reached a zenith in 2024 when he guided Tennessee to 60 wins and the Men’s College World Series championship in 2024. He also took the program to the MCWS in 2021 and 2023. He also led the program to two SEC regular-season and tournament championships.