Andrew Sears’ Rise Through the Tigers System Reaches Detroit

Andrew Sears may be new to Detroit, but he is not a new name to anyone who has followed the Tigers’ farm system closely.

Chris Brown and I have spent much of the last two seasons tracking Sears at Tigers Minor League Report, including watching him pitch live in Akron on July 3. His pace, deception and intensity immediately stood out. Now, after making only two appearances for Triple-A Toledo, the 23-year-old left-hander is expected to make his major-league debut Sunday afternoon against the Kansas City Royals.

The Tigers are expected to use Sears for bulk innings as part of a bullpen game. That role could offer an early look at where he fits, both during the remainder of this season and potentially beyond it.

Sears’ promotion is another considerable jump for a pitcher who entered the 2025 season ranked 45th on the TMLR prospect list. We identified him as one of the organization’s potential fast risers because of his lower arm slot, improving velocity and sweeping slider. He did more than cut that ranking in half. Sears currently sits 10th on the

Sears began his college career at Division III Rhode Island College, where he went 11-3 with a 2.83 ERA over two seasons. He transferred to Connecticut in 2023 and encountered considerably more resistance, finishing with a 6.24 ERA.

The underlying numbers were more encouraging than the ERA. Sears struck out 74 and walked 23 over 62 innings, showing the Tigers enough to select him in the 10th round with the 290th overall pick.

His first full professional season came with Low-A Lakeland in 2024. Sears recorded a 2.51 ERA with 101 strikeouts over 89⅔ innings. Control remained his primary concern, with 50 walks, but the ingredients of a potential major-league pitcher were beginning to show.

Sears opened 2025 with West Michigan and struggled through April. According to Chris's breakdown,Sears adjusted his position on the rubber in May, moving from the middle toward the third-base side. The change helped create a more difficult angle for hitters and allowed his sinker and slider to play together more effectively.

He allowed only seven earned runs over his next 40-plus innings and earned an August promotion to Erie. Sears made eight appearances for the SeaWolves, including two postseason starts.

That put him on the radar as a possible bullpen option for Detroit in 2026, but a left elbow issue involving a bone spur delayed his season debut until May. Sears eventually returned to Erie in June and quickly recovered his previous form, registering a 2.57 ERA over nine appearances and 35 innings.

Then came his brief stop in Toledo.

Sears could hardly have done more with his opportunity.

In his Triple-A debut, he worked 4⅔ scoreless innings while allowing two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. He generated 12 whiffs on 34 swings, and his fastball reached 96.8 mph. .

His second appearance was even better. Sears followed Brant Hurter out of the Toledo bullpen and delivered five hitless innings with seven strikeouts and two walks against Iowa. He finished his short Triple-A stay with 9⅔ scoreless innings, two hits allowed and 14 strikeouts.

Across four levels this season, Sears has produced a 2.16 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP and 67 strikeouts against 20 walks over 58⅓ innings. Opponents have hit only .192 against him. 

Sears works from a low three-quarters arm slot and operates at an unusually quick pace. There is very little wasted time between pitches, and his intensity on the mound has always been noticeable.

His main fastballs are a sinker and four-seamer that generally sit between 93 and 95 mph, with the ability to reach 96 or 97. The sinker is his primary offering, while the four-seamer gives him another way to attack the upper portion of the strike zone.

Sears complements the fastball with a sweeping slider in the 82-84 mph range. The slider is his best secondary pitch and gives left-handed hitters a difficult look from his arm angle. Against right-handed hitters, he can bring it back over the outside portion of the plate for called strikes.

The changeup will be important Sunday. Sears has become more comfortable using it against right-handed hitters, but its consistency remains a question. If he can locate that pitch and prevent Kansas City’s right-handed hitters from sitting on the sinker, his entire arsenal becomes more difficult to manage.

The other question is how his command responds to the adrenaline of a major-league debut. Sears has improved his strike-throwing considerably since his 50-walk season in Lakeland, but major-league hitters will be less likely to chase when he falls behind.

Detroit does not need Sears to immediately become a rotation fixture. In the short term, he can provide multiple innings, attack hitters quickly and potentially bridge the gap between an opener and the late-inning bullpen. After he came back from injury, and the bullpen woes continue, the Tigers are willing to try anything at this point. 

Long term, he could compete for a back-end rotation position or settle into a Brant Hurter-style role that allows him to cover several innings while remaining effective against hitters from both sides. 

Sears does not arrive with the reputation or overwhelming arsenal of a traditional top pitching prospect. His ascent has come through adjustments, improved command and an ability to make his unusual delivery work to his advantage.

For a Tigers organization that needs to develop more usable pitching internally, his arrival carries importance beyond one bullpen game in Kansas City. Sears has already exceeded the expectations generally associated with a 10th-round selection. Sunday will provide the first indication of whether his rapid rise can continue at the highest level.