SF Giants reportedly poach Tony Vitello's strength and conditioning guru

The SF Giants are actively working to fill out new manager Tony Vitello's coaching staff. Their latest reported hire they poached from the University of Tennessee as strength and conditioning coach Quentin Eberhardt will join Vitello in San Francisco.

According to the article that reported this news, Eberhardt will serve in the following role:

"Eberhardt will oversee major league strength and conditioning, sports science, nutrition and mental health with the Giants, who hired Tony Vitello as their manager on Oct. 22. Eberhardt spent seven seasons as the strength coach on Vitello's staff at UT in two different stints broken up by a brief tenure with the Chicago Cubs."

SF Giants poach coach from University of Tennessee (again)

According to Eberhardt's profile on the University of Tennessee website, he is credited with helping Tennessee's offense see a power surge as well as the pitching staff seeing an increase in its strikeout numbers.

Eberhardt has served in various strength and conditioning roles all around, with some time spent with minor league teams as well as some major league teams. He has worked with current and former major league players like, "Dallas Keuchel, Dee Gordon, Brian McCann, Stephen Piscotty, J.D. Martinez, Edinson Volquez and Martin Prado, among others."

This may seem like a relatively minor hire, but moves like this can potentially pay dividends. Every small competitive advantage can make a world of difference over the course of a long season so if Eberhardt can help the Giants stay a little healthier or get a little stronger, that could be key as they try to make up ground in a crowded National League West.

The Giants are still working to fill out the rest of the coaching staff. Their other hires like Jayce Tingler as bench coach or associate manager as well as Hunter Mense as hitting coach have ties to Vitello. That seems to be the common theme so far although they all seem like they can bring something to the table to help the Giants.

Tingler's experience as a former big league manager and bench coach could be invaluable for Vitello as he learns the ropes of the big leagues after so many years in college ball. Mense was part of a coaching staff that oversaw great offensive output for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025.

It is smart to surround Vitello with people he is familiar and comfortable with so hopefully the Eberhardt hire will help out the Giants going forward.