Only 12 MLB managers make more than Tennessee's Tony Vitello
Tony Vitello became the highest-paid coach in college baseball on Friday, when Tennessee Baseball announced a new five-year deal worth $3 million annually after Vitello led the Vols to their first national championship in program history.
Not only is Vitello the highest-paid coach in college baseball, there are only 12 Major League Baseball managers making more than Tennessee’s head coach now makes.
According to a report from Front Office Sports in May, there were 13 managers in the big leagues making at least $3 million: Cubs manager Craig Counsell ($8 million); former White Sox manager Pedro Grifol ($5.5 million); Diamondbacks manger Torey Lovullo ($5 million); Rangers manager Bruce Bochy ($4.5 million); Angels manger Ron Washington ($4 million); Guardians manager Stephen Vogt ($4 million); Giants manager Bob Melvin ($4 million); Padres manager Mike Shildt ($4 million); Braves manager Brian Snitker ($4 million); Nationals manager Dave Martinez ($3.5 million); Yankees manger Aaron Boone ($3.3 million); Dodgers manager Dave Roberts ($3.25 million); Red Sox manager Alex Cora ($3 million).
Tony Vitello now the highest-paid coach in college baseball
Among college baseball coaches, Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin previously made the most at a reported $2.45 million per year. LSU’s Jay Johnson makes $1.79 million and North Carolina’s Scott Forbes earns $1.7 million. Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco makes a reported $1.62 million.
Former Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle’s new deal at Texas will pay him $2.68 million annually after his buyout from the Aggies is paid.
Volquest’s Eric Cain reported Vitello’s new deal also comes with a $250,000 signing bonus and a retro bonus of $200,000 for leading Tennessee to its first national championship in June, when the Vols beat Texas A&M in three games in the College World Series.
Tony Vitello: 211 wins over last four seasons, including 25 NCAA Tournament wins
All Vitello has done at Tennessee is set program records by leading all of college baseball the last four seasons in wins (211), win percentage (.773), NCAA Tournament wins (25) and home runs (566).
Tennessee became the first program in SEC history to win 60 games and the fourth team in conference history to sweep the regular season title, conference tournament title and College World Series title in the same season.
The Vols were the first No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA baseball tournament to win the College World Series since Miami in 1999, when national seeding began. Tennessee was the fourth No. 1 overall seed to reach the CWS final series. The 60 wins were the most of any program since Florida State in 2022 and the most of any national champion since Wichita State back in 1989.
