Giants Manager Tony Vitello Stresses Being an ‘All-American Teammate’

Tony Vitello took his spring training message to the position players as the San Francisco Giants now have a full spring training.

San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello continues to rack up milestones as he heads toward his first opening day as the leader of the franchise.

On Sunday, it was his first day presiding over a full spring training camp as position players were required to report and go through their first mandatory workout in Scottsdale, Ariz.

That gave Vitello the opportunity to address the full team for the first time since workouts began. It's a rite of passage in baseball. The manager, preparing for the new season, conveys what he believes is the overriding message or theme for the upcoming campaign.

Vitello, of course, is in a unique situation. He's used to dealing with college kids. This year, he's dealing with pros. But he drew upon his college roots in his opening message to the full team before their first workout, as recorded by KNBR’s Marty Lurie.

Tony Vitello’s ‘All-American’ Message

Tony Vitello addressed the full team this morning here’s a few thoughts he shared about the meeting.
Devers Chapman Adames and Bader crushed the ball in BP today.. pic.twitter.com/pmY7ZiOLui

— Marty Lurie (@baseballmarty) February 15, 2026

Tony vitello grew up in St. Louis, Mo., and after he graduated from high school, he spent his first collegiate season with Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala. He transferred from the Division II school after one year and went to Missouri, where he played his final three seasons. He was never an all-America selection, or even a Big 12 Conference selection. But his work ethic kept him ready for every game.

He called himself an “All-American teammate,” a message he used as he spoke to the Giants as a team for the first time.

“If anything I stressed the teammate thing,” he said. “It took me a while to become what I think is a good teammate, but I wasn't ever going to be an all-American. So, I had to become an All-American teammate. Otherwise, I wasn't going to make the travel roster. It’s not bragging on my part. It's just something that I've always valued and studied.”

Vitello will be one of the most scrutinized managers in Major League Baseball this upcoming season. That's because he's never been a professional on any level, either as a player or as a coach. When Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey made Vitello the new manager in late October, he was making a groundbreaking hire that has no precent in the modern game. Vitello, however, built a great track record in college baseball.

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.