Tim Fang is a digital producer at CBS Bay Area. A Bay Area native, Tim has been a part of the CBS Bay Area newsroom for more than two decades and joined the digital staff in 2006.

University of Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is set to become the new manager for the San Francisco Giants, the school confirmed Wednesday.

Vitello, who has coached the Volunteers since 2017 and has no previous coaching experience in professional baseball, is becoming the first college coach to jump directly to the Major League level.

"Congratulations to Tony on this incredible opportunity to lead the San Francisco Giants," athletic director Danny White said in a statement. "We wish him the best as he embarks on this new chapter in his career and thank him for everything he has done to transform Tennessee baseball into a championship program."

The Giants have yet to make a formal announcement.

Over eight seasons, Vitello turned the program into a college baseball powerhouse, going 341-131 over that span. The Volunteers reached the College World Series three times and won the National Championship in 2024.

"It was one heck of a ride, Coach," the Volunteers baseball program posted on social media.

Vitello is replacing Bob Melvin, who was ousted last month after managing the Giants for two seasons, finishing with a 161-163 record. After winning the 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series, the Giants have made the postseason only twice (2016 and 2021) and have missed the playoffs for four straight seasons.

The decision is the latest unconventional move by Buster Posey, one of the pivotal players in the Giants' three World Series titles and who was hired as president of baseball operations last year. Early in the season, Posey orchestrated a blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox that sent slugger Rafael Devers to San Francisco.

San Francisco Giants hiring Tony Vitello from University of Tennessee as manager