JP Sears Bio
John Patrick Sears, known professionally as JP Sears, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on February 19, 1996, he has pitched in MLB for the New York Yankees, the Oakland Athletics, and the Padres after beginning his professional career in the Seattle Mariners organization. A left-handed starter who came up through the Southeastern Conference rival college ranks, Sears is recognized for his strike-throwing approach and his durability across multiple minor league affiliates.
Early Life and Background
John Patrick Sears grew up in Sumter, South Carolina, where he attended Wilson Hall, a private school known for combining rigorous academics with strong athletic programs. At Wilson Hall, Sears developed as a multi-sport athlete before concentrating on baseball, where his frame and left-handed delivery drew early attention from college recruiters. His preparation at Wilson Hall laid the foundation for the discipline and consistency that would later define his professional career on the mound.
After graduating from Wilson Hall, Sears continued his education and athletic development at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. There, he played college baseball for The Citadel Bulldogs, working against top competition in the Southern Conference and refining his command of the strike zone. The structured environment of The Citadel helped shape his work ethic and routine, both of which became hallmarks of his pitching identity.
Path to Professional Baseball
Sears’s performance at The Citadel caught the attention of Major League scouts, and he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 11th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the organization and was assigned to the Everett AquaSox and the Clinton LumberKings, where he posted a 1–2 record with a 0.65 ERA across 27 and two-thirds innings in his first professional season. The strong debut numbers signaled that Sears could move quickly through a pitching pipeline.
On November 18, 2017, the Mariners traded Sears and Juan Then to the New York Yankees in exchange for Nick Rumbelow, redirecting his development path to one of baseball’s most storied farm systems. From that point, Sears advanced steadily, balancing starting duties with bullpen stretches as he climbed toward the major leagues. The trade marked the beginning of a long climb through the Yankees’ minor league ranks, a journey that would eventually deliver him to the big leagues in 2022.
JP Sears Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
After joining the Yankees’ system, Sears spent the 2018 season with the Charleston RiverDogs, where he made ten starts and posted a 1–5 record with a 2.67 ERA and 54 strikeouts across 54 innings. In 2019, he pitched for the Tampa Tarpons and went 4–4 with a 4.07 ERA over 48 and two-thirds innings, continuing to build a reputation for missing bats. The 2020 season wiped out his development when the minor league schedule was canceled, but Sears returned in 2021 to split time between the Somerset Patriots and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
His 2021 campaign was his most decisive minor league year, as he went 10–2 with a 3.46 ERA across 25 games and 18 starts, striking out 136 batters in 104 innings. The Yankees added Sears to their 40-man roster after the 2021 season, a formal acknowledgment that he was part of the franchise’s long-term plans. That winter of preparation set the stage for his first taste of the major leagues the following spring.
New York Yankees (2022)
Sears made the Yankees’ Opening Day roster in 2022 and reached the major leagues for the first time on April 13, marking a milestone he had chased since his college days at The Citadel. He earned his first major league win on April 16, but was optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shortly afterward as the Yankees navigated their pitching staff. Although his time in the Bronx was brief, his debut confirmed that he could compete at the highest level of professional baseball.
Oakland Athletics (2022–2025)
On August 1, 2022, the Yankees traded Sears, Luis Medina, Ken Waldichuk, and Cooper Bowman to the Oakland Athletics for Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino, sending him to the West Coast. The Athletics assigned him to the Las Vegas Aviators before promoting him to Oakland, where he made his first appearance for the club on August 10. The trade gave Sears the opportunity to establish himself as a regular major league starter, and he made the most of that chance in the seasons that followed.
In 2023, Sears led Oakland’s pitchers with 32 games started, 172 and one-third innings pitched, and 161 strikeouts, finishing the year with a 5–14 record and a 4.54 ERA. He opened the 2024 season by allowing nine runs across his first 9.1 innings, then bounced back on April 11 by taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers. He went on to make 32 starts in 2024, finishing 11–13 with a 4.38 ERA and 137 strikeouts across 180 and two-thirds innings. In 2025, Sears made 22 starts for the Athletics, going 7–9 with a 4.95 ERA and 97 strikeouts over 111 innings before the trade that brought his Oakland tenure to a close.
San Diego Padres (2025–Present)
On July 31, 2025, the Oakland Athletics traded Sears and Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Leo De Vries, Braden Nett, Henry Báez, and Eduarniel Núñez. Sears made his first appearance for the Padres on August 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing five runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts across five innings. He was optioned to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas the following day, beginning a new chapter in the San Diego organization as he worked to cement a role in the major league rotation.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sears is a left-handed pitcher known for his ability to eat innings, generate swings and misses, and limit free passes, traits that have allowed him to handle a heavy starting workload. He relies on a consistent delivery and the confidence to attack hitters in the strike zone, qualities that developed during his years at Wilson Hall and The Citadel. His durability and willingness to take the ball on regular rest have made him a dependable option for his managers throughout his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Sears’s career is his major league debut with the New York Yankees on April 13, 2022, and his first big league win three days later. His near no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on April 11, 2024, stands as one of his most dramatic individual achievements, and his leading role in the Oakland Athletics’ 2023 pitching staff underscored his value as a frontline starter. The July 2025 trade to the San Diego Padres added another milestone, signaling a fresh opportunity on a contending National League roster.
JP Sears Career Wins
Across his time in Major League Baseball, JP Sears has recorded his biggest wins with the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics, including his debut victory on April 16, 2022, and a string of quality starts during his three full seasons in Oakland. His near no-hitter against Texas on April 11, 2024, stands out as one of the most memorable performances of his career, demonstrating the kind of dominance he can deliver when his command is sharp.
Major League Highlights
Sears’s first major league win came in his third appearance with the New York Yankees, a milestone that arrived just days after his debut. While pitching for the Oakland Athletics, he became a rotation anchor, leading the staff in starts, innings, and strikeouts during the 2023 season and delivering several strong outings in 2024 and 2025. He has yet to record a win for the San Diego Padres, but the trade to a contender gave him a new platform to pursue postseason opportunities.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his major league resume, Sears built a strong record in the minor leagues, including a 10–2 season split between Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2021 and a stellar 0.65 ERA across his first professional assignments with Everett and Clinton in 2017. He also performed well at The Citadel, where his college workload helped prepare him for the rigors of a full professional schedule. Those developmental accomplishments laid the groundwork for everything that followed at the top level of the sport.
JP Sears Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about JP Sears’s immediate family is limited, with no widely reported details on his parents or siblings. His upbringing in Sumter, South Carolina, and his education at Wilson Hall suggest a close-knit family environment that supported his early athletic development. As a private individual away from the field, Sears has kept his personal life largely out of the public eye, focusing public attention on his pitching career.
Personal Life
Sears is known by the nickname JP, a shortened form of his given names John Patrick, and he is active on social media under the handle linked to his playing number, 24. He has not publicly disclosed details of a spouse or children, and most of his public profile centers on his craft as a pitcher. His journey from a private school in South Carolina to Major League Baseball reflects a career built on steady progress and professional discipline.
2025 Season Performance
JP Sears’s 2025 season began with the Oakland Athletics, where he logged 22 starts and posted a 7–9 record with a 4.95 ERA and 97 strikeouts across 111 innings before the July trade deadline. His workload with the Athletics mirrored his role as a reliable innings-eater, even as Oakland continued its broader roster reshaping. The midseason trade to the San Diego Padres placed him on a contending team with renewed postseason aspirations.
After arriving in San Diego, Sears made his Padres debut on August 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, allowing five runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts across five innings before being optioned to the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. The move gave him a chance to adjust to the National League and to compete for a rotation spot in a stacked Padres pitching staff. As the 2025 season progressed, Sears focused on refining his command and rebuilding his case for a longer look in the major leagues.
Looking ahead, Sears’s outlook for the rest of 2025 centers on returning to the Padres’ major league rotation and contributing to a potential playoff push. His track record of durability, combined with his history of high strikeout totals, gives San Diego a left-handed option capable of providing quality innings. The remainder of the season will be a critical stretch for Sears as he works to establish himself as a long-term piece of the Padres’ pitching plans.