New SF Giants manager Tony Vitello to see a slight raise with new role

The SF Giants made one of the more unique managerial hires in recent memory. Tony Vitello is not only making the jump to the majors, but he will see a slight pay bump in the process.

New SF Giants manager Tony Vitello to see a slight raise with new role

According to John Shea of the San Francisco Standard, Vitello will be earning more than he was making at the University of Tennessee. As a college coach, he was earning in the neighborhood of $3 million annually through the 2029 season.

That put him among the highest-paid coaches in college baseball. According to Baseball America, he was the second-highest paid coach in college, behind only Jay Johnson of Louisiana State University.

It must have taken a lot of convincing to walk away from that level of security. That was likely part of the reason why it took so long for Vitello to make a decision. He had the security of building up a college powerhouse, and now moves to more of an unknown in the majors, where managerial tenures can often be brief.

As Bob Nightengale of USA Today notes, the Giants will be paying out a $3 million buyout to the University of Tennessee. The Giants will also be paying Bob Melvin $4 million in 2026. They will be paying a lot of money for managers next year.

In July, the Giants picked up Melvin's option for 2026, but decided to go in a separate decision by the end of the season.

They interviewed a handful of candidates, including Vitello, Nick Hundley, Kurt Suzuki, Vance Wilson, and Brandon Hyde. Hundley withdrew from consideration, and Suzuki landed the job with the Los Angeles Angels.

The Giants are making a risky hire with this move. Vitello becomes the first manager in MLB history to go straight from the college ranks to MLB without any pro coaching experience. That said, Buster Posey deserves credit for going outside of the organization to hire someone with no prior ties. The Giants have needed a fresh voice for years, and they hope that Vitello brings a new and refreshing energy to the organization.