From McCarthy To Pontarelli To Kansas City – Rhode Island’s Andrew Sears Heading To The Show

If online, social media reports are correct, today will mark the fourth appearance in a Major League game in 2026 for a former Rhode Island High School baseball player. The previous three – Michael King (Bishop Hendricken High School), Jeremy Pena (Classical High School), Thomas Pannone (Bishop Hendricken High School) – will now be joined by former West Warwick High School standout, Andrew Sears. Sears pitches in the Detroit Tigers organization, was drafted in 2023 after a successful transfer season at the University of Connecticut, which followed two successful seasons at Rhode Island College, and most recently pitched for the Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers AAA affiliate.

Sears will be the 2nd West Warwick High School alum to suit up for the Detroit Tigers. Legendary St. Louis Cardinals coach Mike Roarke played 4 seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1961-1964. His plaque sits outside West Warwick’s famed McCarthy Field, where decades later Andrew Sears would pitch himself into a college baseball career at RIC, then UConn, then a 10th round selection by the Tigers in 2023.

Former RIC Head Baseball Coach Frank Holbrook and I chatted after Sears was drafted. MLB listed Sears, sort of correct, as being from the University of Connecticut. Sears did pitch there in 2023. But, he started with Coach Holbrook, now the Brown University HC, at Pontarelli Field in North Providence, Rhode Island pitching for the Rhode Island College Anchormen in 2021. Here is Sears pitching at Pontarelli Field, April of 2022. He would later transfer to the University of Connecticut for his 2023 season.

So, if media posts and reporting are correct, West Warwick High School and Rhode Island baseball will add another local baseball hero to their list of Major Leaguers – West Warwick’s Andrew Sears. After being drafted in 2023, Sears has pitched in every level of the Detroit Tigers organization – Florida Complex League Tigers, Lakeland Flying Tigers, West Michigan Whitecaps, Erie Seawolves, Toledo Mud Hens – and will now add the penultimate level for any baseball dreamer – the Major Leagues and the MLB Detroit Tigers. What a story. Game time is 2:10 EST, Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City, MO vs. the Kansas City Royals. Best of luck, Andrew Sears!!!