Tony Vitello is a candidate for the San Francisco Giants manager position, but the Tennessee baseball coach does not have a deal in place with the Giants.
“Nothing is done,” the Vols coach told Knox News on Oct. 18.
But if a deal does get done, it would send a ripple into the program that Vitello and his staff have built since 2017. A coach would have to be appointed either in an interim role or through a coaching search and Tennessee would have to keep a roster in order.
Here is what happens next for Tennessee if Vitello leaves for the Giants:
Who would be the Tennessee coach if Tony Vitello leaves?
Tennessee has two obvious options to make the interim head coach in Frank Anderson and Josh Elander, if athletic director Danny White wanted to go that route.
Anderson was the coach at Oklahoma State from 2004-12. He has been the pitching coach on Vitello’s staff since 2017 and produced a bounty of MLB Draft picks. Elander has been the hitting coach on UT’s staff since 2017 and was appointed the associate head coach in 2022. He is an elite recruiter and has coached the best offenses in Tennessee history.
Would Tennessee baseball have a coaching search?
White could opt to enter a coaching search immediately if Vitello left, but it would be unorthodox for college baseball to hire a coach in October or November. The college coaching cycle typically is in May and June.
Can Tennessee’s players transfer?
Tennessee players could enter the transfer portal if Vitello’s departed, but only graduate transfers would be immediately eligible to play in the 2026 season.
What is Tony Vitello’s buyout?
Vitello’s buyout for leaving for another job is $3 million. The Giants could choose to pay all or part of that. If not, Vitello is on the hook for the buyout.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
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