Tony Vitello’s Dad Explains What May Have Driven Son to Take Giants Job

With Tony Vitello headed to the San Francisco Giants, his father, Greg, had some insights into why he’s taking the job.

Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello warms up his players before the start of the NCAA college baseball game against Wake Forest in the Knoxville Regional final on June 1, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aside from a long statement, new San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello hasn’t had much to say about his decision to leave the University of Tennessee.

At some point, Vitello will sit alongside Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey and explain it all. For now, others are left to fill in the blanks about Vitello’s decision. That includes his father, Greg Vitello.

Father knows a thing or two about the game. The De Smet High School soccer and baseball coach is a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. In 46 years as a coach, he led those two sports to a combined 14 state final fours, including five soccer championships and one baseball title.

Between baseball and soccer, Vitello saw 350 of his players earn opportunities at the collegiate level, with 115 earning Division I opportunities. That includes his son, who played college baseball at Missouri.

Greg Vitello on Tony Vitello’s Move

"Wow, that's all I could say was wow - and a couple of tears."

Tony Vitello will soon be introduced as the next manager of the @SFGiants.

I went to his alma mater to catch up with his dad and longtime @DeSmetJesuitHS coach Greg Vitello.

Full story on Sports Sunday (@KMOV). pic.twitter.com/wQ9uqrS0dP

— Tamar Sher (@tamar_sher) October 28, 2025

Greg Vitello recently did an interview with Fox 2 Sports about his son’s decision to leave the Volunteers to manage the Giants. He said that he believed his son was looking for a new challenge. He also said that several Tennessee people close to him, including former Volunteers quarterback Peyton Manning, encouraged Tony Vitello to explore the opportunity. He also said other MLB teams had expressed interest in his son, though he didn’t disclose in what capacity.

But the changes in college sports may also have contributed to the timing. Building a team has become more difficult as the game has migrated closer to a professional model. Still, Greg Vitello said his son wrestled with the decision.

“That town just pretty much took him over,” Greg Vitello said. “He was a rock star [on] Rocky Top, and people just almost genuflected in front of him. That’s how popular he was. But I think all college coaches right now, they’re in a quandary with the NIL, and the transfer portal, and even the recruiting business. It’s really, really changed the whole face of college athletics.”

The younger 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.