COLUMBUS, Ga. – Minor League Baseball today announced that former Clingstones right-hander Brett Sears has been named to the 2026 Southern League All-Star Team. Sears is the club's lone representative and the second player in franchise history to earn Southern League All-Star honors.
Sears, 26, put together an impressive season across two stints with Columbus, posting a 5-4 record with a 3.33 ERA (35 ER in 94.2 IP), a 1.08 WHIP, and a .228 opponent average across 17 games (15 starts). The right-hander led Clingstones pitchers in quality starts (six), innings pitched (94.2), and strikeouts (113), while finishing fifth in the Southern League in strikeouts.
The Harlan, Iowa native was particularly dominant in July, leading all Minor League pitchers with 45 strikeouts against just four walks during the month. On July 31 against Rocket City, Sears matched the Clingstones' single-game franchise record with 12 strikeouts.
Originally selected by Atlanta in the seventh round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of the University of Nebraska, Sears was transferred to Triple-A Gwinnett on August 25. The All-Star selection marks the second professional honor of his career, following his Southern League Pitcher recognition on April 26, 2026.
The Clingstones open the 2027 season on the road against the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Friday, April 2, before returning to Pinnacle Park for their home opener against the Knoxville Smokies on Tuesday, April 6. For tickets and more information on the 2027 season, visit Clingstones.com.