BA Grade:

40/Medium

August Update: Sears was the third piece in the Frankie Montas/Lou Trivino trade.

Track Record: The Mariners popped Sears in the 11th round in 2017, then shipped him to New York with righty Juan Then in exchange for reliever Nick Rumbelow. Sears broke out in 2021 and finished No. 3 in strikeouts (136) and strikeout percentage (32.8) in the system.

Scouting Report: Sears works with a three-pitch arsenal of a low-90s fastball, mid-80s changeup and a low-80s slider. His fastball shows well in plenty of analytical characteristics, including horizontal break and vertical approach angle—and was the most effective pitches in his mix despite average velocity and spin rates. Sears&#39 slider—which has been recently introduced into his mix—is the more effective of the two offspeed pitches, garnering a swing-and-miss rate of nearly 46%. His changeup is a clear third pitch, and scouts believe it could have a ceiling as an average offering. He showed excellent control in 2021, with just 2.7 walks per nine innings and a strikeout-to-walk rate of roughly 4.7 over 106 innings.

The Future: Like fellow breakout reliever Ron Marinaccio, Sears was added to the 40-man roster in November to keep him out of the Rule 5 Draft. He has a future as a multi-inning reliever.