Vanderbilt Baseball Lands Commitment From Cade Sears

Vanderbilt has landed a commitment from Iowa Central Community College outfield transfer Cade Sears, he announced on Instagram Sunday night.

Sears hit for a .270 average, .448 on-base percentage, two home runs and 35 RBI in 2024. The rising junior also led his conference with 31 stolen bases and was caught stealing just once. 

Perhaps Sears’ athleticism comes partly as a result of his football background. The Iowa native started his college tenure as a wide receiver for South Dakota State University, but ultimately felt as if baseball was the sport he was drawn to in the end. 

The outfield transfer has made a name for himself this summer in the Northwoods League, where he’s hit for a .325 batting average, .779 OPS and has stolen 13 bases in 21 games. Now, he’s in the mix for an outfield role–although he’s probably more likely to end up as a depth piece–at Vanderbilt. 

Sears’ biggest struggle as a college player has come in the form of his strikeout numbers. He’s got 13 this summer and just five walks and had 61–which was the sixth most in his conference–in the regular season. 

Now, the athletic outfielder will look to cut that number and make an impact for Vanderbilt baseball in 2026.