Tennessee Vols coach Tony Vitello sends message that all youth baseball players and parents need to hear

Tennessee Vols head coach Tony Vitello sent a message on Friday night after UT’s win against St Bonaventure that all youth baseball players (and their parents) need to hear.

Vitello was asked after the 12-0 win about Vols utility player Dalton Bargo

Bargo, a junior who transferred from Missouri to Tennessee ahead of the 2024 season, was rated in high school as the No. 1 catcher in the state of Nebraska in the 2022 class.

The Omaha native, however, has played just three games at catcher for the Vols.

Bargo has also seen time in left field and right field as well as first base and third base for Tennessee.

“It’s a good lesson for young kids out there,” said Vitello when asked about Bargo’s versatility. “Don’t kind of box yourself into just one spot, because what if the best player on the team also plays your spot? You still want to get in the lineup. So it’s very valuable for his own sake, but also for ours, because he’s a really good player. And he can do a multitude of things on defense, and always is a threat.”

“But the biggest thing he does for the coaches, is he’s willing to go,” added Vitello. “Sometimes you coach guys and they don’t like that. They think you’re screwing them over, or you’re cheating them, or they got an excuse why they can’t play their best. And he’s never done that, ever, ever, ever — which is very refreshing.”

Vitello, unsurprisingly, is spot on. Far too many youth baseball players (and their parents) are overly concerned about playing a certain position. Everyone wants to be the shortstop on the team, even though that’s not what’s best for development. The ability to play multiple positions is incredibly valuable in baseball and can help a player get on the field earlier in college and eventually (if they’re good enough) in pro baseball.

It may be cool to tell everyone you’re the starting shortstop for a team, but the ability to slide over to first base or third base, or move to the outfield, while still playing quality defense, is an invaluable trait for a young baseball player.

It doesn’t matter what position you play in middle school or even high school. If you can hit the ball hard and play good defense around the diamond, someone is going to notice you and give you a chance at the next level.

Young players (and their parents) should listen to Vitello. I’d say the coach of the defending College World Series champs knows a thing or two about development.