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Giants Close To Hiring Tony Vitello As Manager

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3:15pm: The decision on whether Vitello will be the next manager of the Giants or not is expected within the next 24 to 72 hours, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Passan adds that while Vitello is the “top target” of San Francisco at this point, the sides have yet to reach a deal.

1:56pm: The Giants’ managerial search seems to be nearing an end, with a surprising name emerging from the college ranks.  The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly, Brittany Ghiroli, and Ken Rosenthal report that “the Giants are closing in on hiring” University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello as their next skipper.  Vitello told The Athletic by text that “there is nothing to confirm” about the news, and the Giants also haven’t commented on the report.

The 47-year-old Vitello was an assistant baseball coach for Missouri (his alma mater), TCU, and Arkansas from 2003-2017 before being hired for the top job at Tennessee in June 2017.  The Volunteers have since become an elite program, with a 341-131 record under Vitello’s watch and the school’s first NCAA national championship in baseball in 2024.  Beyond that College World Series victory, the Vols also reached the World Series in both 2021 and 2023, and they were SEC regular-season and tournament champions in both 2022 and 2024.

Beyond this sterling record in NCAA baseball, however, Vitello has no experience as a player, coach, or manager in professional baseball.  There have been examples in recent years of teams reaching out to hire college coaches or assistants to big league coaching staffs, yet hiring a manager without any experience in an MLB organization is a step beyond.  Brewers skipper Pat Murphy is a notable example of a current manager with lots of college head coaching experience, but as Baggarly/Ghiroli/Rosenthal note, Murphy had many years as a minor league manager and a big league bench coach (not to mention a stint as the Padres’ interim manager) in between his NCAA work and his managerial job with the Brewers.

Vitello’s name doesn’t come out of the blue, as Baggarly mentioned him as a possible managerial candidate a little under three weeks ago, when rumors were swirling about Bob Melvin being on the way out in San Francisco.  Baggarly felt the Giants would be looking for “a younger manager who operates with a high motor” as Melvin’s replacement, and the names linked to the team’s managerial search have generally fit this description.  Former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde and Royals third base coach Vance Wilson are both 52 years old, and former catchers Kurt Suzuki and Nick Hundley are both 42 years old.

In regards to Hundley, the Athletic reporters note that he is now “expected to remain in Texas” in his current job as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Chris Young.  Past reports indicated Hundley was a big candidate and possibly the front-runner for the San Francisco job, but Hundley will now remain with the Rangers.  It isn’t known if the Giants simply preferred to go with Vitello, or if Hundley may have taken himself out of the running, as he did in 2023 when he was previously considered as a candidate for the Giants’ last managerial vacancy.

Assuming Vitello indeed ends up in San Francisco, it represents a bold move for both the coach and for the Giants organization.  Vitello would be “leaving the comfort of his fiefdom for a job that offers anything but stability,” as the Athletic trio puts it.  From the perspective of president of baseball operations Buster Posey, replacing a three-time MLB manager of the year in Melvin with someone entirely new to pro baseball is a huge swing for Posey’s very first managerial hire since taking over the Giants’ front office a year ago.

The Giants’ 107-win season in 2021 represents the team’s only playoff appearance and winning record in the last nine years, as San Francisco’s next best marks were 81-81 record in both 2022 and 2025.  This season’s .500 record wasn’t enough for Posey in the wake of some big long-term acquisitions (Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Rafael Devers) within the last year, and Melvin’s dismissal was the latest step in Posey wanting to entirely put his stamp on the franchise’s operations.

There would be no shortage of fascinating subplots to a Vitello hire, the most pressing being simply how a college coach’s tactics can translate to motivating and leading a clubhouse of seasoned major leaguers.  Vitello’s NCAA credentials are as good as anyone’s, but as we’ve seen countless times in the NFL, NBA, or NHL, coaching the professional game is vastly different than being a success in the collegiate ranks.  The Giants have had difficulty in luring top-tier free agents in the past, and it is worth wondering how those pursuits could be impacted with Vitello in the mix — would free agents balk at playing under an inexperienced manager, or would Vitello’s recruiting methods work as well on big leaguers as they do on blue-chip college prospects?

Nick Hundley Withdrew From Giants’ Managerial Search

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Earlier today, the Giants made waves when it was reported that the club is “closing in on hiring” University of Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as their next manager. While no deal is in place at this point, the news still came as a surprise. That’s not only because Vitello has no experience in professional baseball but also because Rangers special assistant (and former Giants catcher) Nick Hundley had been viewed as the favorite for the job throughout the process. Shayna Rubin and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle offered some perspective on that latter point this afternoon when they reported that Hundley actually withdrew his name from consideration “several days ago” for family reasons.

That Hundley decided to withdraw his name from consideration is not necessarily a total shock, given that he also withdrew from the Giants’ managerial hiring process two years ago due to those same family considerations. Rubin and Slusser note that Hundley and his wife have two young daughters, which naturally complicates the decision to return to the dugout and take on the rigorous schedule of an employee who travels with the team during the season.

While it’s possible that Hundley could simply opt to remain in his current role with the Rangers, which offers him far more flexibility than a managerial gig would, Rubin and Slusser do mention that Hundley has been “targeted by” the Padres in their own managerial search following Mike Shildt’s retirement. Hundley and his family live in San Diego, as Rubin and Slusser note, which could make taking a job with the Padres far more attractive from a family perspective.

The reported timelines between Shildt’s departure from the Padres and Hundley’s decision to withdraw from consideration in San Francisco line up well, but that shouldn’t be taken as an indication that the two events were necessarily linked or as a sign regarding the level of Hundley’s involvement in San Diego’s managerial search. It’s not known at this point if Hundley even accepted an interview from the Padres, much less if he’s a favorite to land the role among a field that’s already known to include Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty and San Diego pitching coach Ruben Niebla.

Aside from Hundley’s residence in San Diego, he also has deep ties to the Padres organization from his playing career. Drafted by the team in the second round of the 2005 draft, Hundley climbed the minor league ladder with the Padres until he made it to San Diego in 2008 at the age of 24. He went on to spend parts of seven seasons with the Padres before being traded to Baltimore in late May of 2014. Despite Hundley’s decade of time in the Padres organization between the major and minor leagues, it should be noted that he did not overlap with Preller, who took over baseball operations in early August of 2014.

Angels Planning To Interview Torii Hunter, Kurt Suzuki For Manager

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The Angels plan to interview Torii Hunter and Kurt Suzuki in their managerial search, reports Sam Blum of The Athletic. That comes less than a week after The Athletic reported that Albert Pujols was in talks for the position. Blum writes that while Pujols remains the favorite, owner Arte Moreno is now opting for a more comprehensive search.

Like Pujols, Hunter and Suzuki are former Angels players who remain affiliated with the organization. Hunter made two All-Star teams and won a pair of Gold Gloves during his run with the Halos between 2008-12. Suzuki spent the final two years of his playing career there from 2021-22. They’re now each special assistants to general manager Perry Minasian.

Neither has any MLB coaching or managerial experience. Hunter has spent nearly a decade in special assistant roles and was a candidate for the job that went to Ron Washington in 2023. Suzuki is on the radar of at least one other team this offseason, as he already interviewed with the Giants. Hunter has been very loosely floated as a potential candidate in Minnesota, where he was a star player and has previously worked as a special assistant. It’s not clear if the Twins plan to interview him.

While the three known interviewees all have ties to Moreno, they’re at least considering other possibilities. Blum lists Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley, Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, and former Twins skipper Rocco Baldelli as other potential targets. Hundley has already interviewed with the Giants and is reportedly the favorite for that job. Flaherty has been linked to the Orioles and Padres. Neither has managed in the big leagues before.

Hyde has said he hopes to continue to manage and was linked to the Giants’ opening. Baldelli told Dan Hayes of The Athletic this week that he’s open to managing again as well, though he indicated he’ll spend the early part of the offseason focusing on his family. Baldelli acknowledged that might not align with clubs’ timelines for hiring a manager but said he “fully (expects) to stay active” in some capacity with a team next year.

It may all end up being moot if the Angels hire Pujols. That’s not as certain as it seemed just a few days ago. Perhaps not coincidentally, the future Hall of Famer is also expected to interview with the Orioles.

Latest On Giants’ Managerial Search

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As Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey conducts his first managerial search, John Shea of the San Francisco Standard reports that he’s spoken to an intriguing name: former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. Shea does not clarify whether or not the conversation was part of Posey’s search for a new manager or even if either side has clear interest in Hyde taking over for Bob Melvin in San Francisco, but the conversation between the two is noteworthy nonetheless.

After all, Hyde would make plenty of sense as a manager for the Giants. Like Melvin before him, Hyde is a Bay Area native who has had success managing a small market team in the past. Ignoring a one-game stint as manager of the Marlins back in 2011, Hyde’s time in the manager’s chair has been spent entirely in Baltimore. He managed the club from 2019 until he was fired back in May, and in doing so led the club through a lengthy rebuild, exceeded all expectations with a surprisingly competitive 2022 season, and then build on that success to deliver a 101-win campaign to Baltimore in 2023 en route to an AL Manager of the Year award.

Hyde’s 421-492 record with the Orioles leaves much to be desired, though it must be viewed through the lens of a club that had no intentions of competing during the first three seasons he spent in the organization. The early-season disaster the Orioles suffered under Hyde this year is an undeniable blemish that can’t be excused as the trials of managing a rebuilding club, but he’s nonetheless well-respected around the game. Former Rockies manager Bud Black told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale last month that he believes Hyde will be managing again “soon,” and for his part Hyde indicated to Nightengale that he does hope to return to the dugout as soon as next season. Perhaps that opportunity could come with the Giants, his hometown team.

Of course, while there’s a plausible fit between Hyde and the Giants that doesn’t mean that he’ll be hired or even necessarily interview for the position. Shea notes that Rangers special assistant (and former Giants catcher) Nick Hundley is “fast becoming the popular choice” to replace Melvin and highlights his strong relationship with Posey, who he served as the backup for during his time as a player in San Francisco. Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic takes things a step forward and reports that Hundley is “considered the favorite” for the job in San Francisco, before adding that he’s not believed to be considering any managerial opportunities besides the Giants’ vacancy. Hundley has been a known candidate for the job for some time now, and has already interviewed for the role, but the fact that he’s considered the favorite is new information. Former All-Star catcher Kurt Suzuki and Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz are both known to be candidates for the role in San Francisco as well.

Nick Hundley Interviews For Giants’ Managerial Opening

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October 6th: Hundley has now been interviewed by the Giants, reports Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle.

October 5th: As the Giants get their managerial search underway following Bob Melvin’s recent dismissal, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that catcher Nick Hundley is “strongly in the mix” for the job. It’s unclear whether Hundley has interviewed for the position at this point, but the fact that his name has come up so clearly is nonetheless notable.

Hundley, 42, was a big league catcher for parts of 12 seasons and served as the Giants’ primary backup to Buster Posey for the 2017 and ’18 seasons. After serving under Posey as part of the team’s catching tandem, it now appears Posey has interest in bringing Hundley in to serve as his manager now that he’s become San Francisco’s president of baseball operations. Hundley immediately jumped into an off-the-field role with the league upon announcing his retirement in 2020, as he became a senior director of baseball operations with the commissioner’s office.

He spent two years in that role before departing the league office to take up a job in the Rangers organization, where he serves as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Chris Young. Hundley won a World Series in the organization in 2023, and during that playoff run was actually a candidate to manage the Giants when then-president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi was looking to replace Gabe Kapler in the dugout. At the time, it was reported that Hundley had withdrawn himself from consideration before receiving an interview due to family considerations. He had talked to both Zaidi and Posey himself about the role before making that decision, however, indicating that he had at least some level of interest.

With no interview confirmed to have taken place, it’s not necessarily a lock that Hundley would accept the opportunity to interview if offered given his past decision to decline that invitation. With that being said, it’s entirely possible that whatever concerns Hundley had about jumping back into the grind and travel involved with a managerial role have resolved themselves in the past two years, or even that the idea of reporting directly to a former teammate like Posey holds enough appeal to get him involved in the process again. It’s also worth noting that Heyman made clear Hundley has “no guarantees” of landing the position, even in the event he has changed his mind about his desire to manage.

Whatever the case may be regarding Hundley’s candidacy, he’s far from the only person the Giants will talk to about their managerial gig. Former All-Star and longtime Oakland A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki is known to have interviewed for the position. Former Giants bullpen coach Craig Albernaz, now in Cleveland as Stephen Vogt’s bench coach and associate manager, is “expected to get a look” for the job as well. It’s worth noting that all three of Hundley, Suzuki, and Albernaz have connections to the Bay Area, though that may not necessarily be something Posey is looking for specifically in his next manager. Whoever next sits in the manager’s chair for the Giants will be an external hire, as Posey is not expected to interview any members of the current coaching staff for the job.

NL Notes: Marlins, Giants, Cardinals

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The Marlins are parting ways with director of amateur scouting D.J. Svihlik, per Barry Jackson and Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. Svihlik, who had been part of Miami’s front office since 2017 including six years in his current role as scouting director, did not have his contract removed following the 2023 campaign and is now set to join former GM Kim Ng in departing the organization. The move to part ways with Svihlik is hardly a surprise given Sherman’s previously reported discontent with the club’s amateur scouting and player development apparatus.

While very few of Svihlik’s draft picks have played a direct role for the Marlins at the big league level (with right-hander Max Meyer and catcher Nick Fortes among the best examples), Jackson and McPherson make the important point that many of the club’s highest picks in recent years have been used in trades to acquire key talents on the big league roster such as Jake Burger, Josh Bell, and A.J. Puk. The duo go on to note that the task of finding a replacement for Svihlik figures to be likely left in the hands of the club’s next baseball operations leader, the search for whom Sherman has already begun. Installing a president of baseball operations who would take control of the department and lead a restructuring of the club’s amateur scouting department was one of the key goals Sherman held for this offseason that led to Ng parting ways with the organization.

More from around the National League…

  • As the Giants continue their search for a manager to replace Gabe Kapler, one potential candidate has withdrawn himself from consideration, per The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly: Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley. Baggarly added that Hundley spoke at length with longtime Giants catcher Buster Posey and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi regarding the position, but ultimately declined to interview for the role on account of family concerns. Hundley, 40, spent 12 seasons in the major leagues as a catcher, including the 2017 and 2018 campaigns in San Francisco. Upon retiring in early 2020, Hundley took a job in the commissioner’s office before eventually joining the Rangers in his current role of special assistant prior to the 2022 campaign.
  • Cardinals left-hander JoJo Romero is in a good place following his season-ending knee injury last month, per Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Guerrero notes that Romero made progress regarding the injury throughout the month, but did not return to the big league roster in hopes of ensuring the injury was fully healed and his mechanics wouldn’t be impacted headed into the offseason. Romero was a revelation for St. Louis in the second half as he took over the closer’s role from Jordan Hicks, posting a 3.18 ERA, 35.8% strikeout rate and a 0.79 FIP in his final 17 innings of the season. His overall season numbers were also impressive, as well: the lefty posted a 3.68 ERA and 2.22 FIP across 27 appearances this season. Assuming he’s healthy in time for Spring Training, Romero figures to once again play a significant role for the Cardinals out of the bullpen next year.

Rangers Hire Nick Hundley As Special Assistant

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The Rangers announced Monday that they’ve hired former big league catcher Nick Hundley as a special assistant to general manager Chris Young. The 12-year MLB vet had been working in league offices as a senior director of baseball operations.

While Hundley’s title with the league was a bit nebulous, MLB’s press release at the time of his hiring in 2020 indicated that he would serve “as an MLB liaison to Major League Clubs, players and umpires” in addition to aiding “in the administration of on-field discipline and will provide insights regarding on-field rules, initiatives, technology, instant replay and other topics.” Hundley’s role with the league also included working to promote youth baseball initiatives in somewhat of an ambassadorial capacity.

Hundley, 38, is no stranger to Young. The two were not only teammates but batterymates with the Padres from 2008-10, worked together in the league offices in 2020, and surely still enjoy a strong relationship to this day. Hundley spent the first six and a half seasons of his career in San Diego and also appeared with the Orioles, Giants, Rockies and A’s throughout his dozen years in the Majors.

Hundley received few starting opportunities but was typically used more heavily than a standard backup catcher. He appeared in 974 Major League games and racked up 3373 plate appearances over his 12-year career, batting .247/.299/.405 with 93 home runs, 169 doubles, 20 triples, 319 runs scored and 376 runs knocked in from 2008-19.

The Rangers’ press release did not specify which areas of baseball operations will be Hundley’s primary focus, but he represents the latest in a growing number of former players the organization has hired as special assistants. Michael Young, Colby Lewis, Brandon McCarthy, Darren Oliver and Ivan Rodriguez are also listed as special assistants in the Rangers’ baseball ops department.

MLB Hires Gregor Blanco, Nick Hundley As Senior Directors Of Baseball Operations

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Gregor Blanco and Nick Hundley have been hired by Major League Baseball as senior directors of baseball operations, as per a league press release.  The news would seemingly bring an end to the playing careers of the two veterans, who were teammates on the 2018 Giants, and have 22 years of Major League experience between them.

It was just yesterday that Hundley spoke of negotiations with a few teams and his desire to play in 2020, so while Hundley’s retirement is perhaps a bit of a surprise, the 36-year-old former catcher will hang up his mask and move into a new phase of his baseball career.  Originally a second-round pick for the Padres in the 2005 draft, Hundley spent 510 of his 974 career MLB games with San Diego, and also suited up for the Rockies, Giants, Orioles, and A’s over the course of his 12-year career.  Oakland was the last official stop for Hundley, as he appeared in 31 games for the A’s during an injury-marred 2019 season, then failed to crack the Phillies’ big league roster after signing a minors deal with Philadelphia last August.

Hundley hit .247/.299/.405 with 93 home runs over 3373 career plate appearances, with an 89 wRC+/91 OPS+ that grades out as pretty solid for a catcher, especially one who usually worked in a platoon or backup role.  As with many veteran catchers who have stuck around the sport, Hundley has a good reputation in the clubhouse, and for working well with pitchers and calling games, even mentioned as a potential future candidate to someday become a manager.

Blanco was also a popular figure with teammates and fans over six seasons in San Francisco, as the outfielder went from being an unheralded minor league free agent pickup in the 2011-12 offseason to a big contributor to the Giants’ World Series championship clubs in 2012 and 2014.  After three nondescript years with the Braves and Royals and then not even playing in a big league game in 2011, Blanco became a regular in the Giants’ outfield, capable of playing above-average defense at any of the three positions.  No discussion of Blanco’s glovework is complete, of course, without mention of his diving grab in the seventh inning of what became a perfect game for Matt Cain on June 13, 2012.

Over 1060 games and appearances in parts of ten Major League seasons, Blanco hit .255/.338/.348 (91 OPS+/93 wRC+) with 26 homers and 122 stolen bases in 3349 plate appearances with the Giants, Braves, Royals, and Diamondbacks.  Blanco didn’t play in a big league game in 2019, as he didn’t return to the Show after signing a minor league contract with the Mets last offseason.

The 36-year-old Blanco will now join Hundley within MLB’s organizational hierarchy.  As per the press release, Blanco and Hundley will work “as an MLB liaison to Major League Clubs, players and umpires” and “will aid in the administration of on-field discipline and will provide insights regarding on-field rules, initiatives, technology, instant replay and other topics.  Blanco and Hundley will participate in MLB’s youth baseball development initiatives in the United States and Latin America, will speak to amateur players at MLB events and will assist in the evaluation of prospective umpires.”

We at MLB Trade Rumors wish Blanco and Hundley all the best in their efforts to help grow and develop the sport, and congratulate them on their fine playing careers.

Nick Hundley Intends To Play In 2020

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Veteran catcher Nick Hundley turned 36 late in the 2019 season, but he’s not yet planning to call it a career. Hundley tells Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he’s spoken to a few teams this winter — presumably about minor league deals with non-roster invites to Spring Training (Twitter link).

Hundley’s 2019 season wasn’t exactly the finest of his 12-year career. The veteran backstop appeared in just 31 games with the Athletics, spent more than a month on the injured list with back spasms and was released by both the A’s and the Phillies. Notably for A’s fans, Hundley tells Slusser that Oakland isn’t one of the teams to which he’s spoken.

Last year’s poor showing notwithstanding, Hundley is only a season removed from hitting at a near-average clip with the Giants in 2018. That year saw him tally 305 plate appearances with a .241/.298/.408 slash (95 OPS+, 93 wRC+). Considering that the league-average catcher posted an 84 wRC+ in 2018, Hundley’s output was more than passable — particularly for a part-time/backup catcher. Overall, he’s a .247/.299/.405 lifetime hitter in the big leagues.

Hundley has never been considered a defensive standout, but his career 26 percent caught-stealing rate is only a hair below the league average. And while he’s rarely graded well in terms of pitch framing, Hundley typically posts quality marks in terms of blocking pitches in the dirt, per Baseball Prospectus. At 36 years of age, there’s little reason to expect a marked uptick in his defensive skills, but he’s generally been a capable bat relative to his positional peers, and as a depth pickup on a minor league deal, Hundley would make sense for several organizations that are still rather thin on options behind the plate.

Phillies Release Nick Hundley

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The Phillies’ top affiliate announced today that catcher Nick Hundley has been given his release. He had joined the club on a minors deal after being cut loose earlier this year by the Athletics.

Hundley is closing in on his 36th birthday. A veteran of a dozen MLB campaigns, he’s a highly respected signal-caller and clubhouse member. He had signed on with the A’s on a minors deal but made the club out of camp.

Unfortunately, Hundley was not able to keep pace offensively in Oakland. Over 73 plate appearances in the majors, he scratched out a .200/.233/.357 batting line with just two walks and two homers. The struggles have continued at Lehigh Valley, where he struck out 17 times in just 36 trips to the plate.

The timing of the move will allow Hundley to catch on with another organization while retaining his postseason eligibility — if he inks a new deal tomorrow, before the end of the month. While it’s hard to imagine a contender planning for a playoff roster that includes Hundley, he’d be a useful insurance policy given his extensive experience.

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