The Next Giants Manager: Ranking Nine Potential Candidates

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

A Bochy return would accomplish two things instantly. First, it would guarantee one of the most stable partnerships between front office and dugout in baseball. Posey played for Bochy from 2010–19, enjoying the best years of his career under his leadership. Bochy wouldn’t need an introduction to the clubhouse layout or a realtor’s phone number — it would be as close to turnkey as a managerial hire can get.

Second, it would launch one of the grandest nostalgia tours Oracle Park has ever seen. The mere sight of Bochy back in the home dugout would stir memories of October magic the franchise has been chasing since his departure. No other candidate would command that level of devotion before managing a single game.

That’s also precisely why this likely will not, or perhaps better said, likely should not be the choice for Posey. To compete at the top of the sport, the Giants must be focused on their future, not their past. This is Willy Adames at shortstop, not Brandon Crawford. Matt Chapman at third base, not Pablo Sandoval. Robbie Ray on the mound, not Madison Bumgarner.

There is also this question: How much of that future Bochy could realistically be part of? At 70, he was already among the oldest managers in MLB during the 2025 season. Connie Mack famously managed his Athletics until age 87, but it’s doubtful Bochy would be in San Francisco more than a handful of seasons.

Bochy reminded the game of his brilliance in 2023, guiding Texas to its first championship. But his last two Rangers teams, like the 2025 Giants under Melvin, underachieved despite a talented roster. That complicates the narrative of a seamless Bochy return.

Still, the timing is intriguing. Bochy and the Rangers agreed to part ways on the same day Posey dismissed Melvin. The odds of a seismic reunion remain slim — but not impossible. Should the stars align, and they may have already, the Giants could once again turn to their most celebrated skipper.

No. 8: Pat Murphy

Pat Murphy could shift from long shot to favorite depending on how the Brewers fare this postseason.

Since taking over in 2024, Murphy has enjoyed immediate success, earning NL Manager of the Year and guiding Milwaukee to a 97–65 record and the No. 1 seed in this year’s playoffs. He’s also been openly complimentary of the Giants, calling them “built to win big” and “really talented” after San Francisco took two of three in Milwaukee in late August.

The admiration is mutual. Murphy has proven he can maximize talent in a smaller-market organization, something that could intrigue Posey as the Giants look to get more from their own roster. Should Milwaukee stumble in October — as they did in 2024 with a stunning Wild Card exit against the Mets — the Brewers, Murphy, or both may be ready to move on.

Murphy also carries ties that could connect him directly to San Francisco. He served as head coach at Arizona State from 1995–2009, the same program where Giants legend Barry Bonds starred from 1983–85. Bonds now serves as a Special Advisor with the Giants and, alongside Posey, could play a role in courting Murphy away from Milwaukee.

That’s where the Giants could step in. Murphy’s connection to San Francisco stretches back decades; he was signed by the Giants as a player in 1982. If his Brewers tenure ends, the combination of Posey and Bonds could make a Bay Area reunion even more compelling.

No. 7: Yadier Molina

Like Bruce Bochy, Yadier Molina has been linked to Buster Posey since Posey’s first days in the big leagues. Whether as six-time teammates on NL All-Star squads (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021) or as catching counterparts in the 2012 and 2014 NLCS, the two are well-acquainted with each other’s approach to the game.

Their careers may eventually converge again in Cooperstown, but for now they share something new: legendary catchers searching to make their mark in their respective post-playing days. Posey found his role with the organization he defined. Molina, meanwhile, has made it clear he intends to manage in the majors.

Logic suggests that opportunity will come in St. Louis. Molina has already gained dugout experience as manager of Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, guiding the team to the quarterfinals, and he’ll reprise the role in 2026. He began working in the Cardinals' front office as a special assistant to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak in 2023. In 2025, he also spent time in the Cardinals' dugout as a guest coach with the Cardinals, a move that looked like preparation for eventually taking over his longtime club.

Still, the Molina–Posey connection is substantive. Posey would enter any working relationship with him already confident in his baseball acumen and clubhouse presence. The question is timing. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol survived this round of managerial changes, leaving Molina to wait for the job many assume is his.

Would he bypass patience in St. Louis for a chance to lead the Giants — and reunite with a catching contemporary? The answer is probably no. But improbable is not impossible, and Posey’s search could at least raise the question of whether Molina’s first managerial opportunity might come somewhere other than Busch Stadium.

No. 6: Mark DeRosa

Of all the potential candidates, Mark DeRosa is the most consistently visible. For more than a decade he has worked as a studio analyst with MLB Network, establishing himself as one of the sport’s most respected voices.

In 2023, DeRosa added to his résumé by managing Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, guiding the Americans to a runner-up finish against Japan. In April, he was reappointed for the 2026 WBC, becoming the first two-time U.S. manager in tournament history. While the timing of that event might overlap with his acclimation to a new club, it also provides invaluable experience in handling elite players and preparing against the world’s best competition.

DeRosa’s connection to Posey goes back to 2010 and 2011, when the two were teammates in San Francisco. DeRosa a veteran presence in a clubhouse full of them, helping mentor a young Posey as he settled into stardom. That bond could make him an especially natural fit in San Francisco.

The parallel with Steve Kerr is striking. Both came directly from the broadcast booth to coaching, and both managed their national teams — Kerr with USA Basketball, DeRosa with Team USA Baseball. Kerr’s hire sparked four NBA titles for Golden State. DeRosa, shaped by the great managers he played under — Bobby Cox in Atlanta, Bruce Bochy in San Francisco, and others — could bring a similar mix of fresh perspective and championship pedigree.

At 50, DeRosa would also represent one of the younger managerial candidates, someone who can relate to players while bringing energy and accountability into the clubhouse. He showed in 2023 that he could earn the respect of stars on Team USA and create a unified culture in a short window.

The Giants would be taking a leap of faith in hiring DeRosa, just as the Warriors once did with Kerr. But if Posey truly values obsession with details, communication, and inspiring confidence, DeRosa may be a candidate who checks more boxes than his résumé might suggest.

No. 5: Ron Wotus

Few candidates can match Ron Wotus’s Giants pedigree. He began with the organization in 1991, managing in San Jose before joining the Major League staff in 1998. Over the next two decades, he worked under Dusty Baker, Felipe Alou, and Bruce Bochy — first as third base coach, then as a reliable bench coach from 1999 to 2017. He returned to third base coach through 2021 before retiring, though he briefly came back in 2022 as Special Assistant to Baseball Operations.

Posey doesn’t need any introduction to Wotus. As catcher, he worked closely with him on defensive alignments, one of Wotus’s key responsibilities on the staff. Posey has since emphasized that his next manager must be “obsessive about details” — a description that fits Wotus’s reputation perfectly.

This wouldn’t be Wotus’s first shot at the role. He interviewed after Bochy’s retirement in 2019, though the job ultimately went to Gabe Kapler. He has long expressed a desire to manage in the majors, and Posey is well aware of it.

At 64, Wotus might seem too old for a first-time manager in the eyes of other clubs. Yet Posey has said age is “somewhat irrelevant” and that experience can be defined in “different ways.” If that’s true, Wotus’s decades of institutional knowledge could make him a stronger candidate than it first appears.

The irony is that his best opportunity may also be his last. After more than 30 years in the organization, Wotus finds himself in line for the position he knows better than anyone else — and this time, the decision rests with someone who knows exactly what he brings to the table.

No. 4: Nick Hundley

Nick Hundley is another former teammate of Posey, sharing catching duties with him in 2017 and 2018.

This would not be the first time the Giants have considered Hundley for their managerial role. He interviewed during the 2023 search, speaking extensively with Posey and then-president Farhan Zaidi before ultimately remaining with the Texas Rangers as a special assistant to the general manager.

If the Giants revisit Hundley this time, the Rangers may as well, given that he is already in-house and Texas also has its own managerial vacancy.

Hundley fits many elements of Posey’s stated vision. He has ties to the organization, direct experience as Posey’s teammate, and as a recent player, he could relate easily to a modern clubhouse. His path mirrors that of one of MLB’s most successful young managers: Stephen Vogt, another former catcher and former Giant, who has since led Cleveland to an ALCS berth in 2024 and an AL Central title in 2025.

What has worked for Vogt in Cleveland could plausibly work for Hundley in San Francisco. A first-time manager with Giants roots, strong player connections, and fresh perspective could be exactly the kind of fit Posey is searching for.

No. 3: Craig Albernaz

Speaking of Stephen Vogt—whom the Giants interviewed in 2023 before ultimately hiring Vogt’s former skipper, Bob Melvin—there could still be a way to make up for that missed opportunity. Vogt’s associate manager in Cleveland, Craig Albernaz, has emerged as a name to watch.

Unlike many candidates tied primarily to Posey through playing or front office overlap, Albernaz brings a blend of Giants familiarity and fresh perspective. He served as the Giants’ bullpen and catching coach from 2019–23, working directly with Posey during the final years of his playing career and Posey’s first year in the front office. Those connections extend to key current Giants as well, including Logan Webb and Patrick Bailey.

Albernaz’s résumé is respected across three different organizations—Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and now Cleveland. He also carries winning managerial experience from his time in the Rays’ system, where he led the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods to a Midwest League championship in 2018 and was named Midwest League Manager of the Year.

With strong ties to Posey, credibility inside the Giants clubhouse, and mentorship under Vogt, Albernaz represents a rare bridge candidate: one with both continuity and new perspective. His profile fits the vision Posey outlined on Monday, and would be a manager Posey knows he can trust in situations on the field and off.

No. 2: Skip Schumaker

There will be plenty of teams vying for Skip Schumaker’s services this offseason, and the Giants should be one of them.

Schumaker spent 2025 as a senior advisor with the Rangers after stepping down as Marlins manager, but his résumé remains strong. He was named NL Manager of the Year in 2023 after leading Miami to the postseason, a reminder of why he’s been viewed by many as a natural successor to Bruce Bochy in Texas. With Bochy stepping aside, that day has arrived.

Texas may still be the favorite to land him, but San Francisco offers something few organizations can match right now: a demonstrated commitment to winning under Buster Posey’s leadership. Big-ticket moves like signing Willy Adames and trading for Rafael Devers underscore that.

Posey and Schumaker never shared a clubhouse, but their careers overlapped as rivals — from the 2012 NLCS to National League West showdowns in 2013. Though Schumaker does not have the same strong links to the Giants as other potential candidates, those should be viewed as a bonus for candidates that have them, not a barrier for those who do not.

At 45, Schumaker offers youth and energy in the dugout, along with proven managerial success in one of the league’s toughest environments. He blends the player-relatability of a recent veteran with the experience of steering a team to October. There will be no shortage of suitors, but when Posey calls, Schumaker will answer.

No. 1: Mark Hallberg

To borrow from golf, there may already be a leader in the clubhouse. When Buster Posey dismissed Bob Melvin on September 29, he also parted ways with veteran coaches Matt Williams and Ryan Christenson. One name notably retained: first base coach Mark Hallberg.

While the Giants opted for an experienced skipper in Melvin last time, the pendulum could swing the other way. Recent history suggests first-time managers can succeed quickly — all four managers in the 2024 League Championship Series (Dave Roberts, Carlos Mendoza, Aaron Boone, and Stephen Vogt) were first-timers when hired by their clubs.

Hallberg has several advantages that go beyond his current title. No other candidate has the same depth of relationships within the Giants’ present structure. He knows the players, staff, and coordinators who make the daily machine run, from the big-ticket stars like Willy Adames and Rafael Devers to rising prospects like Bryce Eldridge. In a sport where bonds are built over the grind of 162 games, Hallberg already has the inside track as “the players’ guy,” not just Posey’s.

He also brings the benefit of lived experience with this roster. Hallberg was on the field every day in 2025, seeing firsthand what worked and what didn’t during the team’s midseason collapse. That perspective could prove invaluable when charting a course forward.

Then there’s his personal connection to Posey. The two were not only teammates at Florida State but also roommates, forging a relationship that stretches back nearly two decades. That kind of trust and familiarity can’t be manufactured — and could be the deciding factor.

If Posey believes his close friend and current first base coach is ready, Hallberg has pole position to become the next manager of the San Francisco Giants.

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