Christopher Bostick

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Washington Nationals #25 prospect in 2016
  Signed for $125,000 as an Athletics 44th-round pick in 2011, Bostick reached as high as low Class A Beloit with Oakland before being traded with Michael Choice to the Rangers in December 2013 for Craig Gentry and Josh Lindblom. About a year later, Bostick was traded again, this time to the Nationals with righthander Abel de los Santos for Ross Detwiler. Bostick stands out most for his offensive ability, especially his quick hands. His approach is largely geared to hitting line drives to all fields, but he does have more power than his lean frame suggests. He is an above-average runner and has stolen more than 20 bases in all three of his years in full-season ball. Bostick has primarily played second base in the minors, but the Nationals introduced him to the outfield in 2015, and he may be able to fill a super-utility role in the big leagues. Bostick reached Double-A Harrisburg and ended 2015 in the Arizona Fall League. He joined the 40-man roster in November and probably will return to Harrisburg to begin 2016.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #18 prospect in 2014
  Signed for $125,000 in the 44th round in 2011, Bostick was the old man of the low Class A Beloit infield in 2013, playing beside teenagers Renato Nunez, Matt Olson and Daniel Robertson. The Athletics love the energy he brings to the park, and his hitting garners comparisons with former big leaguer Junior Spivey. Bostick has a simple, sound swing with good plate coverage and the ability to hit line drives all over the field. He has legitimate bat speed and enough sneaky pop to keep pitchers honest. Beloit plays in one of the Midwest League's more homer-friendly parks, and 12 of his 14 long balls came at home. He's a good athlete with solid-average speed and basestealing instincts who led the A's system with 25 stolen bases. Drafted as a shortstop, Bostick moved to second base as a pro and has the raw tools, including adequate arm strength, to play the middle infield, but his defense is rough. He tied for the most errors among Midwest League second basemen in 2013 with 22. He may not have the consistency to play shortstop well enough even in a utility role. He'll move up to high Class A in 2014.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #20 prospect in 2013
  The Athletics took high schoolers with their first three picks in the 2012 draft, a radical departure from the year before, when Bostick was the lone prep player they signed. Oakland spent $125,000 to buy him out of a St. John's commitment. Bostick's swing is direct to the ball and he has a feel for the barrel of the bat. The A's would like to see him hit more line drives and fewer balls in the air, though the strength in his wrists and forearms gives him sneaky power. He already shows a willingness to use the whole field. Drafted as a shortstop, Bostick has shifted to second base already, though the move was partly in deference to Addison Russell's arrival at Vermont last summer. Bostick is a good athlete with plenty of arm for second base, and Oakland thinks he has the tools to play anywhere in the infield. He needs to clean up his infield actions, though, as his 13 errors were the second-most among New York-Penn League second basemen last year. While Bostick's versatility is an asset, his bat looks to have enough potential for him to be more than a utilityman. He held his own against older competition with Vermont, and he'll be in for a similar challenge as he moves up to low Class A in 2013.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #24 prospect in 2012
  Oakland signed only one high school player from last year's draft, and they may have made it count by landing Bostick. After getting picked in the 44th round, he spent last summer hitting .413/.503/.652 against older competition in the New York Collegiate League. The A's signed him in late July for $125,000. More advanced than a typical Northeast prep product, Bostick wowed the organization with his approach and how quickly he adjusted to the pro game. He consistently barrels balls and hits line drives from gap to gap, with a chance to develop some home run power as he gets older. Bostick has the potential to stick at shortstop and shows good instincts for the position, though he may wind up at second base. His arm action is a little long, but he's accurate and can make the throws from shortstop. Though his infield actions can be a little rough, he's a good athlete with above-average speed. Bostick might be advanced enough to handle an assignment to low Class A Burlington for his first full season. He's a few years away but shows promise as a well-rounded player.