Stearns spent as a Cincinnati Reds scout, and as an ESPN broadcaster. He returned to the Reds as the manager of their rookie-level team, the Princeton Reds, in . The team won the Appalachian League championship and Stearns was named Manager of the Year. Afterwards, Stearns managed the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League and won his second minor league championship of the year. Stearns then spent to as a scout and first base coach in the Baltimore Orioles organization.